555 


PRACTICAL    PLANTER'S 


GUIDE 


GEO,  0.  ROEDING 


1915 


UNSV.   OF  CAL. 


PRACTICAL 
PLANTER'S 


^he  Result 


ThirtyYears 
Experience 

S    .in 

*  California 

Horticulture 


>.\^<.  KoedinX- 

\^  O    u 

rn 


rice 


<'<(i»riKht    HIS   In    Oorw  «.   Kocili 


THE   FOREWORD. 

This  booklet  is  issued  primarily  for  the  use  of  our 
customers — for  the  help  and  guidance  of  those  who 
plant  or  have  planted 

ROEDIING'S  TRUE  TREES 

The  matter  contained  herein  is  the  result  of  over 
thirty  years'  successful  experience  in  California  Horti- 
culture, and  it  is  hoped  will  be  of  considerable  assist- 
ance to  those  who  are  interested  in  securing  the  best 
results  from  their  planting. 

To  build  a  house  it  is  considered  as  a  matter  of 
course  that  one  must  have  a  firm  foundation;  and  this 
also  is  necessary  if  you  wish  to  have  a  profitable 
orchard.  The  right  trees  must  be  planted  to  start  with 
and  the  matter  contained' herein  is  therefore  based 
upon  the  supposition  that  you  plant  or  have  planted 
the  right  stock. 

The  expense  of  compiling  and  printing  this  booklet 
has  been  so  great  as  to  prohibit  indiscriminate  dis- 
tribution— therefore  the  price  of  twenty-five  cents. 
We  will  be  glad  to  send  extra  copies  to  any  address  at 
the  rate  of  three  for  fifty  cents,  postpaid. 

OTHER   PUBLICATIONS 

In  covering  so  wide  a  range  of  subjects  as  is  con- 
tained in  this  booklet,  it  has  been  necessary  to  make 
the  descriptions  and  directions  as  brief  as  possible 
and  we  therefore  call  attention  to  our  other  publica- 
tions. More  complete  information  on  special  subjects 
will  be  found  in  "Roeding'g  Practical  Horticulture," 
which  we  publish  from  time  to  time  as  occasion  de- 
mands, in  the  shape  of  bulletins.  These  cover  such 
subjects  as  "The  Olive",  "The  Fig",  etc.,  and  will  be 
mailed  free  to  interested  parties  upon  request. 

We  also  issue  annually  a  complete 

ILLUSTRATED   CATALOGUE 

containing  brief  descriptions  and  prices  of  all  stock 
carried  by  us,  including  over  2,000  varieties  of  citrus 
and  deciduous  fruit  and  ornamental  trees,  vines,  plants 
and  roses. 

We  grow  practically  everything  that  grows  a,nd  our 
nurseries  are  located  in  the  choicest  spots  of  California, 
under  ideal  soil  and  climatic  conditions.  During  the 
more  than  thirty  years  that  we  have  been  in  business, 
the  name  "Roeding"  on  nursery  stock  has  come  to  be 
synonymous  with  the  "best."  Our  illustrated  price 
catalog  will  be  mailed  free  to  any  address  upon 
request. 

FANCHER  CREEK  NURSERIES,   Inc. 

PAID  UP  CAPITAL,  $200,000 
i,  Pf.s-M^nager 

CALIFORNIA 


ADICAL.  differences  in  soil  and  climate  are 
often  to  be  met  with  in  the  same  orchard,  hence 
local  horticultural  conditions  are  of  prime  im- 
portance when  planting  for  profit.  Indeed,  it 
is  our  experience  that  it  is  the  very  keynote  to 
the  successful  prosecution  of  fruit  culture  as 
applied  to  California  and  the  Pacific  Coast. 
It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  the  land  be  put  in 
first-class  condition  to  receive  the  trees.  This  is  accom- 
plished by  thorough  plowing  followed  by  harrowing  until 
the  soil  is  friable  as  an  ash  heap.  Nothing  is  so  beneficial 
to  soil  as  sub-soiling,  though  planters  are  often  deterred 
from  incurring  this  additional  expense,  but  where  time  and 
conditions  will  permit,  it  will  do  more  to  promote  a  fine 
deep  root  system  and  an  unusually  heavy  growth,  than  any 
other  one  thing  that  can  be  done  in  the  preparation  of  the 
soil. 

Where  irrigation  is  practiced  grading  must  be  resorted 
to,  so  that  all  spots  will  be  accessible  from  the  laterals 
running  from  the  main  ditch.  Grading  does  not  necessarily 
mean  leveling,  for  the  less  the  surface  soil  is  moved  the 
greater  will  be  the  ultimate  success  of  the  undertaking.  No 
greater  mistake  can  be  made  than  to  cut  down  the  surface 
of  the  land  for  several  feet  in  order  to  bring  it  under  a 
ditch.  It  is  far  better  under  such  conditions  to  pump  the 
\vater  from  a  ditch  to  the  higher  level  and  thus  preserve 
the  land.  The  slight  additional  expense  of  pumping  will 
be  more  than  counterbalanced  by  the  growth  of  the  trees 
and  their  fruitfulness  as  compared  to  the  poor  growth  and 
lack  of  fruit  when  the  surface  soil  has  been  removed  to  any 
depth.  Drainage  should  be  given  consideration,  particularly 
if  the  land  is  low  and  liable  to  have  water  stand  too  closely 
to  the  surface  during  the  spring  and  summer  months. 

TIME    TO    PLANT 

Fall  planting  is  never  desirable  in  California,  because  the 
growing  season  often  extends  into  the  month  of  November. 
It  only  very  rarely  occurs  that  frosts  are  severe  enough 
toward  the  latter  part  of  the  month  to  check  the  growth. 
A  part  of  the  roots  of  trees  dug  before  they  have  fully 
ripened  up,  turn  black  and  the  tree  either  starts  very  slowly 
in  the  Spring,  or  does  not  grow  at  all.  The  best  time  to 
set  deciduous  trees  is  from  January  to  April  1st,  with  the 
preference  very  much  in  favor  of  the  first  three  months. 
All  evergreen  fruit  trees  should  be  planted  from  March 
15th  to  July  1st,  although  in  many  localities,  particularly 
sections  of  the  State  where  the  summer  climate  is  cool, 
planting-  may  be  continued  later  than  this,  but  we  do  not 
recommend  It. 

A  safe  rule  to  follow  is  to  plant  deciduous  trees  when 
dormant  and  those  which  are  classed  as  evergreens  as  soon 
as  the  sap  commences  to  rise  in  the  Spring. 

SELECTING  NURSERY  STOCK 

Never  forget  one  point  in  buying  trees  and  that  Is,  that 
•when  purchasing;  "Roeding  True  to  Name"  nursery  stoek,  yon 
are  buying  from  a  linn  that  has  devoted  over  thirty  years 
to  the  practical  study  of  growing  the  very  best  trees  that 
money,  study  and  an  inherent  love  for  perfection  in  a  tree, 
can  develop.  Remember  also  that,  buying  trees  is  different 
from  the  average  merchandising.  It  Is  not  today  or  the 
morrow  that  tells  the  story,  but  it  is  three  years  of  hard 
work,  in  cultivating,  irrigating,  pruning,  etc.,  before  your 
fond  hopes  are  realized.  Then  why  not  have  Roeding  Trees 
growing,  and  budding  and  thriving,  and  finally  rewarding 
your  efforts  with  a  •wealth  of  delicious  perfect  fruit  which 
Roeding  grown  trees  always  bear. 

Our  aim  is  to  supply  well  grown,  straight  and  healthy 
trees,  with  a  strong,  vigorous  root  development  free  from 
disease,  and  true  to  label.  From  the  planting  of  the  seed 
to  the  time  our  trees  reach  our  patrons,  every  care  that 
human  ingenuity  can  devise  is  carefully  observed. 

TREATMENT   WHEN   RECEIVED 

The  trees  when  received  at  point  of  destination  should 
be  immediately  unpacked  and  the  roots  laid  in  a  trench 
and  well  covered  with  soil  -which  should  then  be  thoroughly 
wet  down.  If  delayed  in  transit,  thereby  becoming  dry 
and  suffering  from  exposure,  (the  bark  showing  signs  of 
shriveling)  it  is  a  good  plan  to  immerse  the  trees  in  a. tank 
over  night  and  the  following  day  bury  root  and  top  'com- 
pletely in  damp  soil  for  a  few  days  until  they  become  normal, 
when  they  may  with  safety  be  planted  out.  Should  trees 
be  frozen  while  in  transit,  place  the  package  in  a  cellar  or 
some  other  place  free  from  frost  until  thawed  out,  when  they 
can  be  unpacked  and  heeled  in,  preparatory  to  planting. 
Trees  treated  in  this  manner  will  not  be  injured  by  having 
been  frozen. 


In  localities  where  the  seasons  are  very  much 
later  than  ours,  due  to  higher  elevation  or  to 
the  difference  in  latitude,  it  is  far  better  to 
permit  us  to  forward  stock  while  in  the  dormant 
condition.  If  purchasers  will  be  kind  enough  to 
call  our  attention  to  the  fact  that  extreme  cold 
weather  will  not  permit  of  early  planting,  we 
will  defer  shipping  their  order  as  late  in  the 
season  as  it  is  safe  for  us  to  do  so.  The  shipment 
on  arrival  at  destination  should  be  examined  by  removing 
a  board  from  the  case,  and  if  the  Voots  appear  to  be 
in  good  condition,  the  contents  should  remain  undisturbed 
and  the  case  should  be  placed  in  a  cellar  or  in  a  cold 
storage  plant  •where  the  temperature  should  be  maintained 
at  about  35  degrees  fahrenheit.  This  method  of  handling 
trees  is  thoroughly  practicable,  so  much  so  that  we  have 
found  it  possible  to  ship  trees  to  the  antipodes  during  our 
winter  season  and  have  the  shipment  on  arrival  there  placed 
in  cold  storage  until  the  opening  of  the  planting  season. 

Experienced  orchardists  are  becoming  forcibly  convinced 
of  the  one  fact  that  better  results  are  obtained  by  following 
along  lines  of  simplicity  in  planning  an  orchard  and  for  all 
practical  purposes  the  square  system  seems  to  meet  all  the 
requirements. 

The  very  fact  that  there  is  considerable  confusion  over 
the  several  other  methods,  leads  us  to  believe  that  this  plan 
should  be  used  exclusively  except  where  the  economy  of  the 
ground  is  the  first  and  only  consideration. 

PREPARING    TREES    FOR    PLANTING 

Just  immediately  before  planting,  be  sure  to  examine 
the  roots  carefully,  and  cut  away  to  a  smooth  surface  all 
bruised,  lacerated  and  broken  roots  and  rootlets  with  a 
sharp  knife.  The  tree  can  now  be  said  to  be  ready  for  its 
permanent  orchard  home. 

If  planting  is  delayed  through  circumstances  beyond  the 
control  of  the  orchardist  and  a  warm  spell  should  intervene 
in  February  or  March,  causing  the  buds  of  the  trees  or 
vines  to  start,  remove  them  from  the  trenches,  shake  out  all 
the  dirt  from  the  roots  and  expose  them  for  two  hours  in 
the  morning  on  a  calm  day  to  the  rays  of  the  sun.  This  will 
cause  the  small  white  rootlets  which  have  started,  to  dry 
up,  and  if  the  trees  are  heeled  in,  (wetting  them  down  of 
course)  in  a  shady  place  their  dormancy  may  be  prolonged 
several  weeks.  In  setting  out,  one  person  should  hold  the 
tree  in  an  upright  position  against  the  notch  in  the  tree 
setter,  while  another  shovels  qr  fills  in  the  loose  soil  around 
it,  first  spreading  out  the  roots  and  rootlets  in  as  natural 
a  position  as  possible.  The  surface  or  friable  soil  should 
be  put  in  first  among  the  roots,  care  being  taken  to  fill  in 
every  interstice,  thus  bringing  all  the  roots  in  direct  contact 
with  the  soil.  When  the  hole  is  two-thirds  full,  firm  the 
earth  thoroughly  about  the  roots,  but  before  doing  this 
draw  the  tree  up  to  its  permanent  position.  The  top  three 
to  four  inches  of  soil  should  not  be  tramped.  A  basin  should 
be  scooped  out  around  the  tree  which  will  hold  at  least  15 
gallons  of  water,  and  unless  heavy  rains  should  intervene 
to  fill  it  up,  water  should  be  applied  either  by  bucket  or 
by  irrigation.  The  following  day  draw  in  loose  soil  to  fill 
up  this  basin,  reducing  it  to  a  fine  condition  of  tilth  and  do 
not  tramp  in.  Guard  against  setting  too  deeply  but  allow 
for  the  settling  of  the  soil,  so  that  when  once  established 
the  tree  will  stand  about  as  it  did  at  the  time  of  removal 
from  the  nursery  rows,  or  at  the  outside  not  more  than  three 
inches  below  the  surface  of  the  soil.  In  the  hot  interior 
valleys  of  this  State,  it  is  also  very  important  to  protect 
the  trunks  with  tree-protectors  until  they  can  supply  their 
own  shade. 

HOW    TO    PLANT 

As  has  been  suggested  previously  in  this  introduction, 
above  all  things  have  your  ground  in  the  very  best  condition 
of  tilth.  The  importance  of  this  one  point  cannot  be  dwelt 
upon  too  forcibly,  for  it  not  only  insures  more  rapid  work 
on  the  part  of  the  men  setting  your  trees,  but  in  addition 
to  this,  not  having  any  clods  to  contend  with,  the  fine  loose 
soil  packs  around  the  roots,  when  tamped  in,  and  if  for  any 
reason  there  should  be  no  opportunity  of  settling  the  trees 
with  water  after  planting  there  is  very  little  danger  of  their 
drying  out. 

Before  proceeding  with  the  planting  of  an  orchard  or  vine- 
yard the  land  should  be  laid  off  having  one  side  and  end 
of  the  field  at  right  angles.  When  there  are  no  regular 
subdivisions  to  work  from,  and  particularly  where  extensive 
plantings  are  to  be  carried  on,  these  base-  lines  should  be 
established  with  a  transit.  Nothing  is  more  unsightly  than 
to  have  your  trees  or  vines  out  of  line,  and  by  following 
out  the  suggestion  of  having  these  base  lines  at  right  angles, 
there  is  very  little  probability  of  this  occurring.  A  stake 
about  half  an  inch  square  and  one  foot  long,  split  out  of 
redwood,  will  be  found  to  be  a  very  convenient  size  as  a 
marker  for  the  setting  of  the  trees.  Dip  about  six  inches 


of  one  end  in  whitewash,  as  they  can  then  be  readily  seen, 
and  should  any  of  the  stakes  be  out  of  line  it  will  be  noticed 
at  once.  Before  digging  the  holes  it  is  necessary  to  have 
a  tree  setting  board.  This  is  easily  made  out  of  a  piece 
of  1x4-4  feet  long  with  an  inch  hole  at  each  end  and  a 
notch  in  the  center.  Place  the  notched  center  against  the 
stake  where  the  tree  is  to  be  planted  and  push  a  stake  into 
the  ground  through  the  holes  at  each  end  of  the  planter  and 
remove  the  center  stake.  The  hole  may  now  be  dug  and 
this  should  not  be  less  than  18  inches  in  diameter  and  18 
inches  deep.  After  the  hole  is  dug,  replace  the  board  over 
the  end  stakes  in  its  former  position,  then  plant  the  tree 
with  the  trunk  resting  against  the  center  notch  in  the  board 
and  it  will  be  in  identically  the  same  place  as  the  stake 
which  was  removed  to  dig  the  hole. 

BLASTING    THE    HOLES 

Much  interest  has  been  manifested  of  late  years  in  dyna- 
miting the  holes  prior  to  the  planting  of  the  trees.  It  is 
absolutely  necessary  to  do  this  in  hardpan  soils  in  order  to 
plant  trees  at  all.  On  the  Roeding  place,  we  have  a  ten- 
acre  tract  in  our  200-acre  Calimyrna  fig  orchard  in  which 
the  hardpan  varied  in  depth  from  6  inches  to  2  feet  from 
the  surface.  The  trees  in  this  orchard  are  now  12  years 
old.  They  have  made  a  remarkably  fine  growth  and  have 
by  far  outstripped  the  trees  in  another  part  of  the  orchard 
growing  on  a  sandy,  loam  soil. 

It  has  been  the  practice  not  to  blast  where  the  hardpan 
came  within  3  feet  of  the  surface,  but  actual  experience 
has  demonstrated  that  not  only  striking  and  remarkable 
development  in  the  growth  of  trees  had  been  secured  by 
blasting  where  hardpan  was  found,  but  in  any  soil  of  a 
heavy,  compact  nature.  It  does  not  take  much  of  a  stretch 
of  the  imagination  to  comprehend  the  fact  that  a  thorough 
disintegration  of  the  soil,  permitting  the  roots  to  ramify  in 
every  direction,  will  promote  a  rapid  root  and  top  growth. 

A  little  booklet  giving  detailed  information  how  to  do  it, 
will  be  mailed  free  on  application. 


L. 


L- ..U 


Ju 


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3L     %, 


Trees  Planted  on  the 
Square  System. 


This  method  is 

largely 

practiced 

on  the  Pacific  Coast 


METHODS     OF    PLANTING 
SQUARE   METHOD 

Having  the  corners  fixed,  the  next  necessary  step  is  to 
lay  off  the  ground.  In  order  to  fully  understand  the  matter, 
we  will  suppose  the  trees  are  to  be  planted  24  feet  apart. 
To  set  stakes  for  ten  trees  for  each  stretch  of  the  wire  it 
will  be  necessary  to  have  the  wire  240  feet  long 
with  a  short  2  foot  link  at  each  end  for  a  3  inch 
iron  ring,  through  which  the  iron  pegs  are 
pushed  into  the  ground  after  it  is  drawn  taut, 
to  hold  it  in  place.  Use  a  number  19  galvanized 
clothesline  wire  and  at  each  24  foot  point,  have 
a  small  button  soldered  into  place.  By  opening 
up  the  strands,  if  it  is  not  practical  to  put  on  a 


button,  a  piece  of  colored  cloth  can  be  tied  into 
the  wire  at  the  proper  distances  apart  for  the 
markers.  It  is  important  to  stretch  the  wire  well 
before  putting  on  the  markers  otherwise  it  will 
vary  more  or  less  while  being  stretched  in  the 
field  and  the  stakes  for  the  base  lines  wil  be  out 
of  line. 

Before  proceeding  with  the  laying  out  of  the  ground, 
set  stakes  24  feet  apart  along  one  of  the  base  lines. 
Having  set  the  stakes  along  the  outside  line,  start  at  the 
same  end  of  the  field  again  and  set  another  line  of  stakes, 
parallel  with  the  first  line  and  the  length  of  the  chain  dis- 
tant from  it.  Follow  out  this  method  until  the  entire  field  Is 
laid  out  in  checks.  With  the  check  lines  established,  it  is 
only"  necessary  now  to  set  stakes  at  the  24-foot  marks  on 
the  wire  where  the  trees  are  to  be  planted. 


Distance 


Equilateral 
Square  Trian. 


Method 


1  ft.  apart  each  way 43,560 


Method 
50,300 
12,575 
5,889 
3,143 
2,011 
1,397 
1,025 
785 
620 
502 
348 
256 
222 
196 
154 
125 


2  10,890 

3  4,840 

4  2,722 

5  1,742 

6  1,210 

7  888 

8  680 

9  537 

10  435 

12  302 

14  222 

15  193 

16  170 

18  134 

20  108 

25  69  79 

30  48  55 

85  35  40 

40  27  31 

Square  Method — Multiply  the  distance  in  feet 
between  the  rows  by  the  distance  the  plants  are 
apart  in  the  rows,  and  the  product  will  be  the 
number  of  square  feet  for  each  plant  or  hill; 
which,  divided  into  the  number  of  feet  In  an 
acre  (43,560)  will  give  the  number  of  plants  or 
trees  to  an  acre 

Equilateral  Triangle  Method — Divide  the  num- 
ber required  to  the  acre  "square  method"  by 
the  decimal  .866.  The  result  will  be  the  number 
of  plants  required  to  the  acre  by  this  method. 


No.  of  Trees 
or  Plants 

on 

an  Acre  of 
Ground 


EQUILATERAL    TRIANGULAR    OR    HEXAGONAL    METHOD 

By  this  method  of  planting  all  the  trees  are  equally  distant 
from  each  other  and  the  ground  is  equally  divided  in  all 
directions.  The  arrangement  admits  fifteen  per  cent  more 
trees  to  the  acre  than  the  setting  in  squares  and  the  ground 
can  be  worked  in  three  different  directions.  Objections  are 
urged  to  it,  however,  in  that  it  does  not  admit  of  thinning 
trees  by  removal  of  alternate  rows,  as  is  sometimes  desirable, 
and  that  one  has  to  take  a  zigzag  course  in  driving  through 
the  orchard. 

In  planting  tracts  of  any  size  we  do  not  recommend  it. 
The  system  should  be  confined  to  planting  small  parcels  of 
land  where  it  is  necessary  to  use  every  foot  of  available 
space. 


BRINGING  AN    ORCHARD    OR   VINEYARD   INTO   BEARING 

Fruit  growing  is  a  business  pure  and  simple  and  in  Its 
successful  operation  is  quite  as  apt  to  call  forth  the  best 
energies  of  brain  and  brawn  of  those  who  are  in  the  busi- 
ness, as  in  any  other  line  of  commercial  activity.  Just  in 
the  proportion  that  the  orchard  receives  intensive  and  intelli- 
gent care,  will  it  give  corresponding  returns  for  the  invest- 
ment of  capital,  time  and  labor.  Above  all  things,  do  not 
plant  too  many  varieties  if  you  desire  to  be  a  factor  among 
the  commercial  fruit  growers.  As  an  illustration,  it  is  a  mis- 
take to  have  a  different  variety  on  each  acre  for  when  this  or- 
chard comes  into  bearing  there  are  so  many  varieties  and 
so  limited  a  quantity  of  each,  that  the  commercial  packer 
of  dried  or  canned  fruits  does  not  feel  inclined  to  pay  what 
the  fruit  is  worth,  because  there  is  not  enough  of  any  one 
kind  to  make  it  an  object  for  him  to  handle  it. 

Growers  in  new  localities  are  often  concerned  over  the 
fact  that  there  will  be  no  outlet  for  the  product.  The  hand- 
ling and  marketing  of  fruit  has  assumed  such  vast  propor- 
tions that  there  are  always  commercial  institutions  eager 
enough  to  enter  a  new  field,  and  exploit  it  as  soon  as  the 


production  is  large  enough  to  encourage  the  building  of 
packing  houses  for  the  handling  of  any  particular  product. 
Another  serious  mistake  on  the  part  of  many  growers,  is  to 
endeavor  to  harvest  enormous  crops  when  their  trees  are 
only  two  or  three  years  old.  The  result  of  this  unwise 
policy  is  in  many  cases  to  sacrifice  the  tree  to  such  an  extent 
that  just  when  it  should  be  bringing  profitable  returns,  it 
was  burdened  too  heavily  when  young,  and  in  consequence 
either  dies  when  it  should  be  in  its  prime,  or  it  takes  years 
of  extraordinary  care  to  restore  it  to  its  proper  vigor.  It  is 
just  as  much  a  mistake  to  expect  too  much  from  a  young 
tree,  as  it  is  to  require  a  child  to  do  a  man's  work.  The  care 
bestowed  for  the  first  two  or  three  years  in  cultivating, 
pruning  and  irrigating,  where  the  rainfall  is  insufficient  to 
carry  the  trees  through  the  long  dry  summer  months,  is  the 
foundation  for  the  upbuilding  of  a  plant,  which  will  redound 
to  the  credit  of  the  owner  and  give  him  ample  returns  for 
his  intelligent  care  and  years  of  hard  work. 

The  tendency  toward  overproduction  in  young  trees  is 
easily  eliminated  by  pruning.  Next  to  thorough  cultivation 
there  is  nothing  which  is  more  vital  to  the  life  of  a  tree  than 
this  one  thing.  It  is  difficult  to  lay  down  specific  rules  on 
this  point,  but  there  are  basic  ones  which  can  generally 
be  observed  in  the  handling  of  most  deciduous  trees,  with 
some  exceptions,  and  instructions  pertaining  to  such  cases 
will  be  dwelt  on  under  proper  heads. 

After  a  tree  is  set  never  fail  to  cut  it  back.  This  is  now 
the  general  practice  among  the  most  successful  orchardists 
throughout  California,  and  is  the  result  of  years  of  experi- 
ence. The  following  winter  from  three  to  four  branches, 
properly  distributed  around  the  body  of  the  tree,  should  be 
allowed  to  remain  to  form  the  head  and  each  one  of  these 
branches  should  have  at  least  one-half  of  their  growth  re- 
moved, cutting  away  all  laterals  from  them  also.  These  lead- 
ers will  eventually  form  the  frame  work  of  the  tree.  Above 
all  things  do  not  shorten  in  a  lateral  starting  near  the  ter- 
minal point  of  any  of  the  branches,  unless  you  wish  to  have  a 
hideous  crook  in  your  tree.  It  is  a  great  mistake  to  think  that 
if  these  small  laterals  are  allowed  to  remain,  the  tree  will  not 
start.  The  result  of  the  first  year's  pruning  will  cause  the 
trees  to  make  an  immense  growth  and  will  also  induce  them 
to  grow  stocky.  The  second  winter  heavy  thinning  will  have 
to  be  followed  and  the  pruning  should  be  done  with  a  view 
of  causing  the  frame  work  branches  to  spread  out.  After 
thinning,  two-thirds  the  growth  of  the  current  season  should 
be  cut  off.  To  the  novice  this  severe  cutting  seems  suicidal, 
but  the  results  obtained  in  our  own  orchards  have  been 
so  very  satisfactory  that  the  soundness  of  this  method  can 
not  be  questioned.  The  third  year  leave  from  two  to  three 
laterals  properly  distributed  on  each  of  the  main  stems, 
but  they  in  turn  should  be  cut  back  at  least  one  half,  or  even 
more,  depending  on  the  growth.  It  is  safe  to  assume  that 
the  trees  in  the  fourth  year  have  reached  an  age  when 
they  should  bring  ample  returns,  still  pruning  should  be  care- 
fully followed  out  each  season.  Failure  to  prune  severely 
when  the  trees  are  young  means  that  there  will  be  a  lot  of 
long  spindling  branches,  with  practically  all  the  new  growth 
at  the  tip  ends.  A  heavy  crop  may  be  harvested  the  third 
year,  but  the  branches  will  bend  down  under  their  heavy 
load,  become  sunburned  and  even  break  off  in  some  cases, 
thus  sacrificing  a  tree  to  the  rapacity  of  a  grower,  who  in 
his  eagerness  to  harvest  a  crop  has  killed  the  "goose  that 
lays  the  golden  egg."  The  many  advantages  of  this  method 
of  pruning  are  (1)  It  makes  a  low  crowned  and  a  more 
stocky  tree,  affording  an  umbrageous  head,  and  thus  protect- 
ing it  from  the  hot  rays  of  the  scorching  summer  sun;  (2) 
it  enhances  the  carrying  capacity  of  the  tree,  thus  avoiding 
artificial  props  when  maturing  a  crop  of  fruit;  (3)  it  expe- 
dites the  harvesting  of  the  crop,  by  rendering  it  more  acces- 
sible to  the  pickers,  thus  economizing  time  and  expense;  (4) 
it  prolongs  the  life  of  the  tree  by  reason  of  conserving  its 
vital  forces,  and  rendering  it  less  liable  to  damage  in  the 
breaking  of  Timbs  and  taxing  its  strength  by  carrying  its 
fruits  "close  in." 

THE  APPLE 

In  the  temperate  zone  no  variety  of  fruit  is  so  widely 
distributed  or  has  been  more  extensively  planted  than  the 
apple.  The  list  of  varieties  is  amazing.  "Downing's  Fruits" 
alone  lists  about  3,500  sorts.  Following  out  the  rule,  we 
have  scaled  down  our  list  of  varieties,  cataloging  only  such 
kinds  having  distinct  characteristics  and  of  value  either 
for  home  use  or  from  a  commercial  standpoint.  New  varie- 
ties are  never  added  to  our  list,  unless  we  are  convinced  they 
possess  points  which  make  them  worthy  of  cul- 
tivation. Varieties  are  variable  as  to  localities 
and  in  planting  in  sections  where  apple  culture  is 
pursued  commercially,  the  advice  as  to  the  best 
varieties  to  plant  should  be  sought  from  experi- 
enced growers.  Broadly  speaking,  the  hot  in- 
terior valleys  are  not  suitable  for  commercial 
apple  culture  on  a  large  scale,  as  the  very  rapid 


and  early  maturing  of  the  fruit  does  not  seem  to 
be  conducive  to  long-  keeping,  as  found  in  tried 
localities  where  conditions  are  favorable  for  per- 
fecting fruit  having  long  keeping  qualities. 
Nevertheless  it  is  a  fact  that  where  moisture  is 
readily  maintained  in  a  soil  by  either  irrigation 
or  by  sub-irrigation,  many  varieties  are  of  such 
exceptionally  large  size,  present  so  fine  an  ap- 
pearance and  are  of  such  excellent  flavor,  that  more  attention 
should  be  given  to  their  culture. 

The  best  soil  for  this  fruit  is  a  deep,  rich  loam  which  will 
allow  the  free  extension  of  the  roots  and  is  exempt  from 
stagnant  moisture.  An  extremely  light  soil  should  be  avoided. 
Apples  do  exceedingly  well  in  all  the  coast  counties,  as  well 
as  in  the  upper  foothills  and  mountains  of  the  Sierra  Nevada. 
In  adjacent  States  and  Territories  to  the  North  and  East, 
apple  culture  is  more  general,  and  may  be  safely  followed 
wherever  the  soil  and  climate  is  favorable.  The  keeping 
qualities  and  the  flavor  and  coloring  of  our  mountain-grown 
apples  at  elevations  of  3000  to  5000  feet  or  more,  are  indeed 
hard  to  surpass. 


A  Well   Pruned 

Three- Year- Old 

Bartlett 

Pear  Tree. 


Observe  the 

leaders  are 
shortened  in  and 
distributed  on  the 

frame  work 
branches  to  open 
up  the  tree  ;  also 
that  many  of  the 
laterals  allowed 
to  remain,  are  cut 
back.    These  will 

eventually 
enlarge  the  fruit 
bearing  capacity 

of  the  tree, 
as  well  as  making 

it  more 
symmetrical. 


It  Is  the  consensus  of  opinion  among  commercial  growers 
that  trees  should  be  planted  from  25  to  35  feet  apart  in 
orchard  form.  Trees  should  be  cut  back  to  20  inches  from 
the  top  of  the  ground  after  being  set,  except  in  the  higher 
altitudes,  where  the  snow  in  settling  would  cause  the 
branches  to  break  off,  thus  making  it  advisable  to  head  the 
trees  at  not  less  than  2  feet  from  the  ground.  Apples  are 
very  much  subject  to  sun  scald  and  to  the  attack  of  the  flat 
headed  borer,  the  first  few  years  after  trees  are  set  out.  When 
headed  low,  protected  with  tree  protectors,  permitting  of  free 
circulation  of  air,  and  by  giving  the  stem  a  coating  of  white- 
wash to  which  has  been  added  soap  and  crude  carbolic  acid, 
little  danger  need  be  apprehended  from  either  of  these 
evils.  The  wash  is  made  in  the  following  manner:  Dissolve 
one-half  gallon  of  soft  soap  in  one-half  gallon  of  hot  water, 
adding  one-fourth  pint  of  crude  carbolic  acid.  When  mixing 
add  five  gallons  of  hot  water  and  enough  lime  to  make  a 
mixture  the  consistency  of  paint. 

All  shoots  starting  out  from  the  body  of  the  trees,  which 
are  not  required  to  form  the  head,  should  be  rubbed  off, 
excepting  those  starting  12  inches  from  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  which  should  be  allowed  to  grow  unmolested.  The 
following  winter  they  should  be  cut  back  at  least  one-half 
and  thinned  out  so  as  not  to  leave  more  than  four  branches 
to  form  the  framework,  and  these  should  be  distributed  in 
such  a  manner  as  not  to  crowd  one  another  as  the  tree 
develops.  Each  one  of  these  branches  should  be  regarded  as 
a  subdivision  to  maintain  the  wood  supply  to  eventually 
form  a  perfectly  vase  formed  tree.  The  second  winter  not 
more  than  two  laterals  should  be  allowed  to  remain  and  if 
there  is  a  tendency  to  crowd,  not  more  than  one  on  the 

6 


frame  work  branches,  and  their  growth  should  be  again 
shortened  very  severely.  The  tendency  as  far  as  possible, 
should  be  to  prune  to  an  outside  bud  for  the  first  two  winters' 
pruning.  With  the  head  now  practically  formed,  the  orchard- 
ist  must  shape  the  tree  in  accordance  with  its  development, 
leaving-  and  shortening  in  the  inside  laterals  if  they  show 
a  tendency  to  spread  out,  or  if  the  inclination  is  to  assume 
too  upright  a  form,  cause  them  to  spread  by  leaving  the  out- 
side laterals.  The  cutting  back  of  the  trees  and  judicious 
thinning  prevent  the  long  bare  branches  so  noticeable  in 
trees,  which  have  not  been  systematically  pruned  every  win- 
ter. The  effect  of  this  method  of  pruning  is  to  cause  the  struc- 
tural branches  to  be  larger  in  proportion  to  their  length, 
the  load  of  fruit  is  carried  closer  to  the  trunk  and  even  with 
a  very  heavy  crop  of  fruit  the  necessity  of  propping  is  eli- 
minated very  largely.  Props  are  an  expensive  item  and  they 
also  interfere  very  materially  with  the  harvesting  of  the 
crop  so  that  a  method  of  pruning  which  will  dispense  with 
them  is  worthy  of  very  careful  consideration. 


A  Well -Balanced 
Six- Year- Old 

Bartlett 
Pear  Tree. 


The  object  in 

mature  trees 

should  be  to  thin 

and  to  cut  back 

the  leaders  and 

laterals  to 

promote  an 

abundance  of 

short  fruit  spurs 

so  typical  of  a 

well  balanced 

pear  tree. 


Storing  Apples.  Fall  and  winter  apples  for  shipment  or 
storing  should  be  picked  just  when  the  seeds  commence  to 
darken  and  when  the  fruit  yields  to  pressure.  If  allowed 
to  remain  on  the  trees  until  fully  matured,  the  fruit  will  not 
keep.  Apples  can  be  kept,  in  the  very  best  of  condition 
for  months  by  storing  them  in  a  cool,  dark  place,  where 
the  temperature  is  even  and  the  air  is  not  too  dry.  The  fruit 
can  be  piled  three  to  four  feet  deep.  When  large  quantities 
are  piled  together  in  this  way,  the  fruit  will  heat  and  sweat, 
and  air  must  be  allowed  to  circulate  through  it  for  several 
days  until  it  dries,  when  both  light  and  air  should  be  excluded. 
Never  rub  apples  before  storing  and  avoid  packing  them  in 
straw  and  hay  as  these  only  impart  a  bad  flavor  to  the 
fruit.  In  many  localities  in  California,  apples  keep  well 
and  sound  until  spring  by  simply  piling  under  the  trees 
and  covering  them  with  leaves. 

THE   PEAR 

The  pear  is  a  fruit  cultviated  throughout  Cali- 
fornia and  the  Pacific  States  generally,  extending 
into  Mexico.  It  does  well  in  all  soils,  but  suc- 
ceeds best  on  a  heavy  loam.  Of  the  whole  range 
of  commercial  fruits  it  seems  to  thrive  in  alkali 
soils  and  is  being  largely  planted  in  vineyards 
and  orchards  where  the  vines  and  trees  have  been 


killed.  The  trees  are  usually  planted  20  to  25  feet 
apart.  The  practice  of  cultivation  is  much  the 
same  as  with  the  stone  fruits.  Pruning  is  usu- 
ally to  the  vase  form  of  tree.  The  fruit  should 
be  thinned  out  on  heavily  loaded  trees  or  else  it  is 
liable  to  run  to  small  and  unmerchantable  sizes. 
The  fruit  of  summer  and  autumn  sorts  should 
be  gathered  at  the  first  indication  of  ripeness, 
the  first  sign  being  the  tendency  of  the  stem  to  part  from 
the  spur  when  the  pear  is  gently  raised.  Late  pears  should 
hang  as  long  as  possible;  a  slight  frost  will  not  injure 
them  as  much  as  premature  gathering.  They  should  then  be 
placed  in  a  dark  cool  place,  where  they  will  ripen,  acquiring 
a  delicious  aroma,  fine  flavor,  and  a  melting  characteristic 
pleasing  to  the  palate  when  eaten.  The  demand  for  this 
fruit  both  in  the  green  and  dried  state  is  increasing  yearly, 
and  there  seems  to  be  no  ground  to  fear  over  production. 
Follow  the  instructions  given  for  pruning  the  apple  and 
you  can't  go  wrong  in  pruning  the  pear.  The  trees 


The  same  tree 

pruned. 
Note  sturdiness 

of  the 

branches 

and  the 

typical  goblet 

form 


Here  is  indicated 

an  even  and 

well  balanced 

distribution  of 

branches,  capable 

of  sustaining  a 

heavy  crop 

without  undue 

propping. 


should  be  cut  back  to  20  inches  from  the  top  of  the 
ground  after  planting.  The  form  of  the  tree  will  be  a 
sufficient  guide  as  to  what  plan  to  follow  to  develop  a  shapely 
tree  in  future  years.  Prune  every  year.  No  tree  responds 
so  readily  to  the  pruning  shear  as  the  pear;  it  assumes  the 
characteristic  vase  form  as  if  shaped  by  a  magic  hand.  The 
tendency  to  allow  the  trees  to  grow  unpruned,  and  as  a  result 
to  send  up  a  lot  of  straight  shoots  so  closely  crowded  that 
they  can  not  develop  and  are  entirely  devoid  of  laterals,  is 
a  common  ami  reprehensible  practice  among  many  growers, 
and  in  consequence  of  this  the  fruit  is  all  in  the  tops  of  the 
trees.  If  they  do  happen  to  have  a  heavy  crop,  unless  very 
carefully  propped,  they  break  off.  Pruning  the  tree  regularly 
each  year,  causes  it  to  not  only  become  stocky,  but  also 
develops  a  bearing  surface,  which  starts  where  the  branches 
diverge  from  the  main  stem,  to  the  very  top  of  the  tree. 
The  tree  in  addition  to  this,  becomes  self  supporting  and 
it  will  carry  a  crop  of  fruit  through  the  season  with  hardly 
a  prop  to  support  the  heavy  laden  branches. 

DWARF  PEAJIS 

The  man  who  wants  fruit  in  a  hurry  will  have  his  wishes 
fulfilled  by  planting  pears  worked  on  quince  root.  Trees 
will  come  into  bearing  two  years  after  being  planted  out. 

8 


The  quince  root  dwarfs  the  growth  of  the  trees,  promotes  the 
development  of  fruit  spurs  and  makes  it  possible  to  grow 
pears  on  any  town  lot  or  small  garden.  Picture  a  pear  tree 
not  over  four  feet  high,  loaded  with  perfect  specimens  of 
superb  fruit  and  satisfy  your  longing  by  having  a  few  trees 
for  yourself.  Some  people  do  not  fully  understand  that 
there  is  a  lack  of  affinity  of  some  varieties  of  pears  for  the 
quince  and  this  is  very  pronounced  in  the  Bartlett.  To  over- 
come this  fault,  the  Beurre  Hardy,  which  makes  a  remarkable 
good  strong  union  on  the  quince,  is  budded  first  and  then  the 
pear  budded  or  grafted  on  this  pear  stock  the  following  sea- 
son. This  is  known  as  double  working.  The  pruning  of  the 
pear  on  the  quince  is  practically  the  same  as  for  standard 
pears,  except  that  it  should  be  more  severe. 

THE    CHERRY 

The  popularity  of  this,  the  initial  stone  fruit  of  the  season, 
is  unquestioned.  The  firmness  of  the  leading  shipping  varie- 
ties permits  of  their  being  packed  when  almost  ripe  for 
eastern  shipment,  and  this  accounts  for  the  enthusiasm  with 
which  our  cherries  are  received  in  the  eastern  markets. 
California  has  every  reason  to  be  justly  proud  of  its  large, 
highly  colored  and  luscious  cherries.  The  tree  thrives  best 
in  the  coast  counties,  but  also  does  well  in  some  sections 
of  the  interior  where  the  soil  is  of  a  deep  rich  alluvial 
nature,  retentive  of  moisture,  and  also  well  drained.  The 
cherries  of  Washington  and  Oregon  are  also  famous,  although 
they  ripen  somewhat  later  than  in  California.  Plant  the 
trees  25  to  30  feet  apart  and,  on  exceptionally  good  soil, 
even  further  than  this  distance  is  advisable.  Low  heading 
is  important  as  the  tree  is  subject  to  sunburn,  the  bark 
being  very  sensitive.  The  trees  should  therefore  be  headed 
back  to  18  inches.  Three  branches  should  be  allowed  to 
grow  to  form  the  head  of  the  tree  and  these  should  be 
distributed  in  such  a  manner  as  to  prevent  forks,  as  the 
tree  has  a  tendency  to  split  as  it  grows  older.  The  first 
winter,  these  branches  should  be  cut  back  one-half  and  the 
following  season  not  more  than  one  to  two  branches  should 
be  allowed  to  grow  from  those  left  the  first  year.  The 
third  season  the  new  growth  should  be  shortened  in  about 
one-third,  and  some  of  the  laterals  appearing  near  the  point 
of  divergence  from  the  main  stems  should  no't  be  cut  off  but 
merely  shortened  in,  for  the  shade  they  furnish  is  one  of  the 
essential  features  in  the  development  of  the  young  trees. 
This  same  method  of  pruning  should  be  followed  until  the 
fifth  year.  In  after  years  the  cutting  should  be  confined  to 
the  removal  of  branches  which  are  interfering  and  over- 
crowding. 

The  soil  in  which  our  trees  are  grown  is  particularly 
well  adapted  to  the  development  of  a  perfect  root  system. 
Our  trees  are  principally  worked  on  the  Mazzard  root,  as 
it  is  adapted  to  the  soils  of  the  Pacific  Coast.  The  tendency 
of  the  Mahaleb  root  is  to  dwarf  the  trees,  although  the  very 
opposite  effect  is  apparent  in  the  one  year  buds  in  nursery 
rows. 

The  cherries  are  classified  under  two  heads,  the  Hearts  or 
Bigarreaux,  which  are  the  sweet  cherries,  the  trees  being 
strong,  vigorous  growers;  the  Dukes  or  Morellos  are  the 
sour  cherries.  The  latter  trees  grow  more  slowly,  the 
branches  are  more  slender  and  of  a  darker  hue,  the  leaves 
are  thicker,  more  erect  and  of  a  deeper  green. 

THE  PLUM  AND  PRUNE 

Plums  and  prunes  are  so  closely  allied  that  remarks  per- 
taining to  one  fruit  are  equally  applicable  to  the  other. 
Practically  speaking  the  prune  is  characterized  by  its  sweet, 
firm  flesh  and  has  the  property  of  drying  and  curing  without 
the  seed  being  removed,  making  an  excellent  fruit,  recog- 
nized as  having  great  value  in  the  commercial  world. 

The  plum  in  its  geographical  distribution  on  this.  Coast, 
and  particularly  in  California,  covers  a  wide  range  of  soils 
and  climates,  being  thrifty  along  the  Coast  regions,  in  the 
Coast  and  interior  valleys,  and  well  up  in  the  foothills. 
Indeed,  so  wide  is  its  range  that  it  is  safe  to  say  that  every 
county  in  the  state  boasts  of  its  plum  orchards,  excepting  per- 
haps the  city  and  county  of  San  Francisco.  This  adaptability 
is  undoubtedly  due  largely  to  the  various  stocks  on  which 
the  different  sorts  are  budded  or  grafted.  Twenty  to  twenty- 
five  feet  apart  is  a  standard  distance  to  plant  the  tree. 

Being  a  sprawling  grower,  the  tree  should  be  pruned 
quite  severely  when  young  and  headed  back  to  18  inches 
from  the  surface  of  the  ground.  The  tree,  like  the  cherry 
is  subject  to  sun  scald,  and  this  is  readily  overcome  by  hav- 
ing the  branches  start  down  low  to  give  ample 
shade  to  the  body  of  the  tree.  The  first  four 
seasons  following  planting,  practically  the  same 
method  of  pruning  as  directed  for  other  fruits 
should  be  adopted.  After  the  fourth  season,  the 
pruning  should  be  confined  to  removing  interfer- 
ing branches,  dispensing  with  the  shortening  in 
of  the  laterals,  for  experienced  growers  have 

9 


learned  that  this  really  promotes  the  growth  of 
an  immense  amount  of  young  wood;  which  does 
not  produce  fruit.  When  it  is  noticed  that  the 
trees  no  longer  present  a  healthy  appearance  and 
fail  to  produce  profitable  crops,  some  cutting 
back  will  have  to  be  resorted  to  in  order  to  re- 
habilitate the  tree  to  its  former  vigor. 

Our  trees  are  worked  on  Myrpbolan,  Peach  and 
Almond  roots  to  suit  the  varying  soil  conditions  met  with,  not 
only  in  California,  but  in  other  countries  as  well.  The  Peach 
root  will  thrive  on  loamy  soils,  which  either  through  actual 
rainfall  during  the  winter  months  or  from  irrigation  are 
retentive  of  moisture.  The  Almond  root  thrives  on  deep 
gravelly  soils.  The  Myrobolan  root  seems  to  possess  a  greater 
affinity  in  the  matter  of  forming  a  perfect  union  and  exer- 
cising an  influence  on  the  longevity  of  the  tree.  The  trees 
do  not  grow  quite  as  rapidly,  but  the  fruitage  is  not  affected 
except  in  a  beneficial  way  by  this  root.  We  do  not  recom- 
mend it  for  extremely  sandy  soils  but  for  any  ordinary  soil 
or  for  localities  subject  to  overflow  and  to  standing  water, 
this  root  is  invaluable. 

The  Oriental  varieties  are  coming  more  into  favor.  The 
trees  grow  rapidly,  are  heavy  and  regular  bearers,  and  adapt 
themselves  to  a  wide  range  of  territory.  The  fruit  is  very 
showy  and  highly  flavored  and  its  shipping  qualities  are 
unexcelled. 

THE   APRICOT 

The  apricot  is  a  native  of  Asia  Minor 
and  the  higher  regions  of  Central  Asia. 
As  a  commercial  proposition,  Caliornia 
has  practically  a  monopoly  in  apricot 
culture  as  no  other  section  of  the  Union 
produces  it  in  quantities  at  so  small  an 
expense  and  so  little  risk  of  failure  in 
crops.  In  appearance  it  is  perhaps  the 
handsomest  of  all  stone  fruits  and  con- 
tains less  acid.  For  canning,  evaporat- 
ing and  drying  purposes,  as  well  as  for 
use  in  the  fresh  state,  the  fruit  can 
hardly  be  excelled.  It  seems  particu- 
larly adapted  to  the  Coast  counties, 
where  the  fruit  attains  the  largest  size 
and  the  highest  flavor.  In  the  interior 
valleys  it  has  the  distinct  advantage  in 
that  it  ripens  its  fruits  fully  a  month 
earlier  than  in  the  cooler  sections  of  the 
state. 

Owing  to  the  success  with  which  it 
can  be  budded  on  different  stocks,  it 
adapts  itself  to  a  wide  range  in  the 
matter  of  soil,  moisture  and  climate.  In 
the  production  of  our  trees,  we  have 
given  particular  attention  to  the  differ- 
ent root  stocks,  and  their  adaptability 
to  various  soils.  Our  trees  are  budded 
on  peach,  apricot  and  Myrobolan  plum 
roots.  Apricots  on  almond  should  never 
be  planted  as  there  is  no  affinity  be- 
tween the  two  stocks  and  the  trees  will 
break  off  at  the  bud  even  when  several 
inches  in  diameter.  The  only  practical 
way  to  have  the  apricot  on  almond  is 
by  budding  a  peach  on  this  stock  and 
then  rebudding  the  peach  with  the  apri- 
cot. The  peach  root  is  well  adapted  to 
a  light,  well  drained,  warm,  sandy  soil 
and  it  has  the  natural  tendency  to  de- 
velop a  sturdy  magnificent  fruitful  tree. 
The  Myrobolan  root  withstands  a  sur- 
plus of  moisture,  is  rather  free  from 
sour  sap,  has  a  tendency  to  cause  trees  to  be  longer  lived, 
adapts  itself  to  moist  and  very  heavy  soils.  The  trees 
are  compact  growers  and  the  pruning  shears  and  saw  must 
dance  attendance  on  the  trees  every  winter  and  relieve  them 
of  much  of  their  wood.  The  method  recommended  for  the 
peach  applies  to  the  apricot  and  the  only  exception  is  that  it 
has  been  a  custom  to  resort  to  summer  pruning  of  the 
apricot.  To  this  the  apricot  responds  readily  by  sending  out 
where  the  branches  have  been  cut,  a  fine  growth  of  new 
fruit  bearing  wood.  This  pruning  should  commence  as  soon 
as  the  crop  is  harvested  and  at  least  a  half  or  even  more 
of  the  new  growth  must  be  cut  off.  When  apricots  have 
been  properly  and  systematically  pruned,  they  are  filled  with 
fruit  spurs  and  probably  more  than  any  other  tree  carry  out 
our  ideal  of  bearing  fruit  evenly  distributed  from  the  very 
crotch  of  the  diverging  main  branches  to  the  top  of  the  tree. 
Is  there  anything  more  inspiring  to  the  man  who  loves  trees 
than  to  see  such  a  sight? 

THE   PEACH 

The  Peach  like  the  prune  and  apricot,  is  indeed  a  fruit 
of  commercial  importance  to  economic  horticulture,  and  finds 

10 


A  One-Year-Old 

nursery  grown  Peach 

Tree  and  the  same 

topped  and  root 
pruned  for  planting. 


wide  distribution  not  only  in  California,  but  throughout 
the  length  and  breadth  of  the  Pacific  slope.  For  size,  flavor, 
color  and  shipping  qualities  the  peaches  grown  in  this  State 
have  a  national  reputation.  The  tree  prefers  a  light,  deep, 
sandy  loam,  preferably  inclined  to  be  dry  rather  than  too 
moist,  but  well  drained.  It  should  be  not  less  than  three 
or  four  feet  deep,  the  more  depth  the  better. 


A  typical  Two-Year- 
Old  Peach  Tree  in  one  of 
our  orchards.  The  view 
was  taken  in  August. 

This  tree  was  cut  back 
to  a  point  on  a  line  with 
the  man's  belt  in  Janu- 
ary. This  is  the  kind  of 
pruning  that  makes  per- 
fect trees  and  rich,  lus- 
cious fruit. 


The  general  cultural  directions  for  the  handling  of  de- 
ciduous fruit  trees  in  the  introductory  chapters  should  be 
closely  followed  in  the  case  of  the  peach  tree.  Nothing  will 
bring  a  peach  tree  to  a  premature  end  quicker  than  not  to 
prune.  The  trees  as  they  stand  in  nursery  rows  have  the 
limbs  removed  to  a  point  about  12  inches  from  the  ground. 
Instead  of  removing  all  these  limbs  when  topping  the  tree 
at  20  inches,  they  should  be  cut  back  to  about  two  inches 
long,  so  in  case  the  buds  on  the  main  body  do  not  start 
in  the  spring,  the  buds  and  smaller  branches  will.  If  the 
buds  do  start  on  the  main  body,  the  branchlets  may  be 
clipped  off  with  a  shear.  This  Is  a  very  important  point,  par- 
ticularly with  peach  trees,  and  if  followed  by  planters  gen- 
erally would  in  many  cases  obviate  the  necessity  of  growing 
a  new  stem,  -where  the  buds  happen  to  be  blind  and  fail  to 
start  out  at  the  proper  height  from  the  ground.  From  three 
to  five  branches  should  form  the  head  of  the  tree,  and  these 
should  be  cut  back  to  12  inches  the  first  winter  after  planting, 


The  same  tree  pruned 
six  months  later,  to  in- 
duce compactness,  a  vase 
shaped  form,  and  a  frame 
work  capable  of  carry- 
ing a  heavy  crop  evenly 
distributed  over  the  en- 
tire tree. 


1i 


and  distributed  in  such  a  manner  on  the  body 
of  the  tree  so  as  to  prevent  crowding  and  the  de- 
velopment of  forks. 

The  aim  of  the  pruner  should  be  to  open  up 
the  tree  and  cut  out  any  central  leaders.  The 
second  year  a  severe  heading  back  again  should 
take  place,  and  not  leaving  over  one-fourth  of 
the  new  growth.  Thin  out  the  numerous  small 
laterals,  allowing  only  a  few  to  remain  and  remove  any 
which  are  close  to  the  point  where  the  framework  branches 
have  been  topped.  If  such  laterals  are  allowed  to  remain, 
the  new  growth  in  the  spring  will  force  its  way  through  them 
instead  of  forcing  buds  out  where  they  belong,  making  an 
ugly  crook  in  the  tree.  The  third  season  two  shoots  should 
be  allowed  to  start  from  the  branches  of  the  year  before, 
and  they  in  turn  should  have  their  growth  shortened  in 
two-thirds.  The  head  of  the  tree  will  in  the  third  season 


ATen-Year-Old 

Peach  Tree 
which  has  been 

developed  by 

proper  methods 

of  pruning 


No  fruit  tree 
responds  more 

readily  to 

intelligent 

pruning  than 

the  peach;  want 

of  I  courage  to 

cut  back 
sufficiently  is 

one  of  the 
besetting  sins 
of  orchardists 
with  this  tree. 


be  fully  formed  and  a  medium  crop  of  fruit  may  be  expected. 
The  fourth  year  the  multiplication  of  new  branches  should 
be  allowed  to  develop  from  those  of  the  year  before  in  about 
the  same  ratio,  at  the  same  time  following  out  the  shortening 
in  method.  Never  neglect  to  follow  up  the  pruning  and 
thinning  of  a  peach  tree  every  year  no  matter  how  old. 
Topping  without  thinning  in  after  years  causes  the  develop- 
ment of  immense  amounts  of  barren  wood,  which  has  a  ten- 
dency to  smother  the  tree.  Trees  should  never  be  set  closer 
than  24  feet  apart,  unless  in  extremely  light  soil  where  20 
feet  is  permissible.  To  obtain  large  firm  fruit,  thinning  should 
be  resorted  to  if  the  trees  are  heavily  laden.  This  should 
be  done  when  the  fruit  has  set  well  and  before  the  kernel 
has  hardened. 

Most  growers  become  frightened  when  they  find  the  ground 
under  a  tree  literally  covered  with  fruit  and  get  cold  feet. 
Forget  your  imaginary  troubles  and  keep  at  it  until  your 
peaches  are  not  closer  than  four  inches  apart,  and  try  to  have 
most  of  them  six  inches  from  each  other,  and  then  your 
crop  will  be  heavier  no  doubt  than  your  tree  will  carry 
without  having  a  prop  to  support  the  over-burdened  branches. 
Less  pits  and  more  pounds  of  actual  fine  large  luscious,  per- 
fect peachy  peaches  should  be  the  desideratum  for  which 
every  grower  should  strive. 

THE    NECTARINE 

The  nectarine  readily  adapts  itself  to  California  conditions, 
but  reaches  its  greatest  perfection  in  the  interior  valleys. 
It  is  nothing  more  nor  less  than  an  accidental  variety  of 
the  peach  with  a  smooth  skin.  Some  varieties  are  even  in- 
clined to  be  slightly  downy.  Nectarines  are  of  exceptionally 
fine  flavor  and  when  dried  their  amber  translucency  renders 
them  very  attractive,  which  added  to  their  superior  flavor 

12 


to  the  peach  when  cooked,  should  cause  them  to  be  in  more 
general  demand.  As  to  their  shipping  qualities,  there  is 
much  to  be  said  in  their  favor  over  the  peach,  so  pronounced 
is  this  that  they  have  been  shipped  to  England  and  success- 
fully marketed  there,  where  they  are  much  sought  after  and 
regarded  as  a  luxury.  The  culture  of  the  nectarine  is  in  all 
respects  precisely  similar  to  that  of  .the  peach,  its  habits 
being  the  same.  THE  NUTS 

The  irresistible  desire  of  people  in  every  walk  of  life  to 
join  the  brigade  and  grow  something  in  the  fruit  line  is  quite 
the  thing  as  far  as  nut  culture  is  concerned  in  California. 
Today  the  walnut  and  the  almond  predominate  but  who  will 
deny  that  the  Chestnut,  Filbert,  Pecan,  Pistachio  will  not  all 
be  factors  to  be  reckoned  with  before  many  years  go  by?  We 
know  positively  from  observation  in  Europe  that  all  of 
these  nuts  have  a  future  before  them,  and  the  progressive 
nurseryman  who  is  far-sighted  enough  to  realize  all  this,  is 
cataloging  all  these  nuts,  introducing  the  leading  varieties 
from  Europe  and  educating  our  people  to  the  possibilities  of 
their  culture. 

Twenty-five  years  ago  California  produced  150  tons  of 
almonds,  the  average  annual  output  now  is  3000  tons,  in 
walnuts  400  tons  as  compared  with  10,000  tons  now.  Our 
imports  of  almonds  are  close  to  9000  tons  and  16,000  tons  of 
walnuts.  These  figures  appear  to  be  all  out  of  reason  but 
they  are  quite  true  just  the  same.  Figures  don't  lie  and  the 
people  of  these  United  States  want  more  of  our  nuts  and 
will  buy  them  in  preference  to  the  imported  article  as  our 
production  meets  the  requirements  of  quality.  The  old  story 
that  this  or  that  fruit  will  not  do  in  California,  has  been 
worn  threadbare  and  although  we  cannot  grow  everything 
where  climatic  and  soil  conditions  are  against  us,  every 
variety  of  fruit  grown  in  Europe  and  Northern  Asia  will  adapt 
itself  to  California  conditions.  We  must  not  be  overburdened 
with  the  thought  to  let  well  enough  alone,  but  must  be 
striving  to  improve  the  varieties  of  nuts  already  grown  and 
aim  to  increase  our  scope  of  operations  until  we  stand  su- 
preme as  the  nut  center  of  the  world. 

THE    AL,MOXI> 

Almond  trees  are  budded  on  almond  and  peach  roots.  Never 
on  apricot  root.  The  almond  root  should  be  planted  on  sandy 
gravelly  soils  where  there  is  an  absence  of  moisture  during 
the  late  summer  months.  The  peach  root  should  always  be 
given  the  preference  on  loamy  compact  soils,  which  are  re- 
tentive of  moisture.  There  are  many  sections  throughout 
the  great  Sacramento  Valley  which  have  fully  established 
their  adaptability  to  almond  culture  and  the  orchards  have 
been  very  profitable  indeed.  There  are  many  other  sections 
in  California  where  the  almond  can  be  successfully  grown  and 
where  opportunities  present  themselves  for  widening  the 
scope  of  this  industry  which  is  so  promising.  It  has  without 
question  a  wonderful  future;  for  the  home  markets  are  far 
from  being  supplied  judging  from  the  imports  which  are 
increasing.  There  is  no  reason  why  California  should  not 
only  grow  all  the  almonds  necessary  to  meet  the  consump- 
tion of  this  country  and  should  also  supply  the  export  de- 
mand. 

All  of  our  almonds  are  one  year  buds.  Long  years  of  ex- 
perience have  demonstrated  that  the  yearling  tree  grown 
under  our  favorable  conditions  is  fully  equal  to  two  and 
three  year  old  trees  grown  elsewhere. 

When  planting  almond  trees  the  instructions  relative  to 
planting  other  trees  as  given  in  the  introduction  should  be 
followed.  The  trees  after  being  set  should  be  headed  to 
twenty  inches  from  the  ground.  During  the  first  year  allow 
the  numerous  shoots  to  grow  without  any  interference  and 
in  the  early  winter  months  thin  out  the  laterals  so  that  the 
lowest  ones  will  not  be  closer  than  ten  inches  from  the 
ground,  not  leaving  more  than  four  to  form  the  head  of  the 
tree.  Even  if  they  have  made  a  growth  of  from  three  to 
four  feet,  cut  them  back  to  12  inches  from  the  main  body 
of  the  tree.  Because  almonds  should  not  be  pruned  much 
in  later  years,  do  not  hesitate  to  prune  when  they  require 
your  trained  eye  and  hand  to  shape  them  properly,  and 
create  a  form  and  a  head  which  can  only  be  secured  by 
severe  cutting.  If  there  Is  any  one  object  that  this  booklet 
has  In  view.  It  is  to  impress  the  man  who  aspires  to  be  a 
fruit  grower  to  remember  that  his  success  for  at  least  the 
first  eight  years  of  his  undertaking  is  dependent  absolutely 
on  the  few  essentials,  and  the  pruning  of  his  trees  is  one 
of  the  most  important  for  at  least  the  first  four  years  of 
their  existence. 

The  second  and  third  winters  cut  the  trees  as 
directed  in  the  pruning  of  the  peach.  The  fourth 
winter,  the  tree  now  having  become  sturdy,  and 
assumed  the  goblet  form  which  is  ideal,  confine 
your  pruning  to  the  thinning  out  of  objectionable 
branches,  and  remove  laterals  where  there  is  a 
tendency  to  overcrowding,  to  permit  light  and 
air  to  circulate  through  the  trees.  This  method 
of  pruning  should  be  followed  for  at  least  fifteen 

13 


years  when,  If  the  trees  give  indications  of  losing 
their  vitality,  cut  off  the  entire  top  within  four 
feet  of  the  'ground,  leaving  one  branch  to  care 
for  the  exuberance  of  sap,  and  cut  this  off  the 
following  season. 

The  sweet  almonds  are  divided  into  the  follow- 
ing grades.  The  hard  shell  variety  has  no  com- 
mercial value  except  for  raising  stocks  for  bud- 
ding and  grafting  other  varieties.  These  have 
6  ounces  or  less  of  kernel  to  the  pound  of  nuts.  There 
is  one  exception  to  the  list  of  hardshells,  and  that  is  the 
famous  "Jordan"  with  its  fixed  type  of  elongated  kernel 
and  a  flavor  superior  to  all  other  almonds,  with  the 
exception  of  the  Eureka,  which  is  of  California  origin. 
The  softshell  requires  the  use  of  nutcrackers,  while  the 
paper  shell  can  be  broken  between  the  fingers. 

Cross  pollination  is  one  of  the  interesting  phases  in  con- 
nection with  almond  culture,  and  although  no  exhaustive  ex- 
periments have  been  made  to  determine  how  far  reaching 
this  is,  alternating  three  to  six  rows  of  a  variety  has  a  very 
marked  effect  in  improving  the  yield. 

THE    CHESTNUT 

Bearing  trees  in  many  sections  of  California  with  widely 
variable  soil  and  climatic  conditions,  give  ample  evidence 
of  the  possibilities  of  the  culture  of  this  most  delicious  nut. 
California  should  supply  not  only  our  home  markets,  but 
also  nuts  for  export,  and  although  chestnut  trees  have 
been  planted  in  a  limited  way  for  a  number  of  years,  prac- 
tically no  commercial  groves  are  in  existence.  California, 
therefore  imports  chestnuts  from  Italy  and  Japan  to  meet 
her  requirements.  Chestnuts  thrive  fully  as  well  on  a 
heavy  clayey  soil  as  they  do  on  a  sandy  loam,  providing  it  is 
retentive  of  moisture  and  is  deep  enough  to  allow  the  roots 
to  penetrate  without  hindrance.  In  the  interior  valleys 
they  should  be  planted  in  river  bottoms,  or  they  may  be 
planted  on  the  plains,  providing  the  soil  conditions  are  sat- 
isfactory, either  sub-irrigated  or  the  moisture  being  supplied 
by  surface  irrigation.  As  a  rule  all  failures  to  successfully 
grow  them  in  the  interior  can  be  traced  to  the  sunburn  of 
the  exposed  high  pruned  body  of  the  tree.  Low  heading  is 
therefore  one  of  the  important  points  in  connection  with 
their  successful  culture  in  the  interior.  As  the  trees  do  not 
bloom  until  all  likelihood  of  frost  has  passed  there  is  no 
danger  of  injury  from  this  source,  and  bounteous  crops  are 
harvested  from  them  annually.  Preference  should  always  be 
given  to  the  grafted  trees  by  the  orchardist;  such  trees  will 
commence  to  bear  within  the  three  years  after  planting.  The 
nuts  are  of  a  uniform  size  and  quality  and  the  increased  cost 
of  the  grafted  trees  over  the  'seedling  will  be  more  than 
repaid  with  the  first  year's  crop.  Beyond  its  economic  value 
for  its  fruits,  the  tree  possesses  advantages  for  avenue  plant- 
ing, and  makes  a  very  striking  ornamental  tree  with  its 
dark,  glossy  green  leaves,  when  planted  singly.  Where  soli- 
tary trees  fail  to  bear,  it  usually  arises  from  the  fact,  that 
the  staminate  and  pistillate  blossoms  do  not  mature  at  the 
same  time.  Trees  should  be  planted  from  30  to  50  feet 
apart  in  a  square. 

After  the  head  of  the  chestnut  tree  has  once  been  formed, 
very  little  pruning,  except  to  remove  interfering  branches, 
will  be  found  to  be  necessary. 

THE  FILBERT 

As  a  family,  they  may  be  described  as  large  shrubs  or  low 
trees.  They  thrive  best  in  a  warm,  moderately  moist,  loamy 
soil  with  a  dry  subsoil  which  will  retard  an  excess  of  wood 
growth.  The  wild  Hazelnut  does  well  in  the  coast  counties 
and  in  the  Coast  Range  Mountains,  and  is  indigenous  in  the 
lower  mountains  and  foothills  through  Oregon  and  Wash- 
ington to  British  Columbia,  and  also  in  the  Sierra  Nevada 
Mountains  at  elevations  of  five  to  six  thousand  feet  growing 
along  the  banks  of  small  streams  of  water.  All  are  uni- 
sexual having  the  staminate  blossoms  in  catkins,  which 
make  their  appearance  on  the  wood  of  the  previous  year, 
being  quite  visible  as  early  as  August.  The  pollen  does  not 
scatter  until  May  of  the  following  season.  The  pistillate 
or  female  blossoms  compose  a  star-like  tuft  of  crimson  stig- 
mas, pushing  their  way  out  in  the  young  spring  growth. 
The  pistillate  blossoms  sometimes  bloom  later  in  the  spring 
than  the  staminate  blossoms,  and  in  such  cases  it  is  neces- 
ary  to  supply  pollen  from  other  sources  at  the  proper  time, 
to  secure  a  crop  of  nuts.  The  Hazelnuts  make  very  attrac- 
tive dessert  fruits  and  they -have  a  peculiar,  pleasing  flavor 
found  in  no  other  nuts. 

With  so  many  sections  possessing  climatic  conditions  favor- 
able to  their  successful  culture,  there  is  no  reason  why  they 
should  not  become  of  commercial  importance  on  this  coast. 

14 


In  England  Filbert  culture  is  a  very  important  industry. 
In  the  County  of  Kent,  famous  for  its  Kentish  Cobs,  there 
are  10,000  acres  devoted  to  the  culture  of  this  most  delicious 
nut.  There  the  shrubs  are  inter-planted  between  apple  trees 
and  it  is  a  common  sight  to  see  the  terminal  branches  extend- 
ing into  the  apple  rows.  In  such  orchards  the  cultivation 
is  all  hand  work.  These  immense  shrubs,  many  of  which 
are  fifty  years  old,  are  trained  with  stems  18  inches  high  and 
many  of  them  are  of  same  diameter.  The  lateral  branches 
radiating  from  this  stem  are  trained  by  pruning  and  pinch- 
ing so  that  they  are  wen  supplied  with  numerous  fruit  bear- 
ing laterals,  and  the  sh"rub  has  the  appearance  of  a  great 
punch  bowl.  The  method  of  planting  is  fifteen  feet  each 
way,  except  where  planted  among  orchard  trees.  The  trees 
are  carefully  pruned  in  the  winter  and  in  July  the  tender 
growth  is  broken  off,  but  never  cut,  as  this  has  a  tendency 
to  send  out  too  much  new  wood.  A  heavy  calcareous  soil 
with  rocky  substrata  seems  to  be  conducive  to  their  highest 
development.  The  Cob  is  distinguished  from  the  Filbert  by 
being  larger,  heavier  and  broader,  the  Filbert  is  smaller, 
narrower  and  earlier. 

THE   PECAN 

Of  the  eight  or  nine  species  of  hickories  the  one  which 
produces  the  most  marketable  fruit  and  in  the  most  pro- 
fitable quantities  is  the  pecan.  A  native  of  the  southern 
states,  it  is  today  the  only  nut  grown  there  and  to  a  limited 
extent  in  the  middle  states,  which  has  any  commercial  im- 
portance. Texas  is  probably  the  largest  producer  of  pecans, 
the  crop  aggregating  several  millions  of  pounds  and  gathered 
almost  exclusively  from  seedling  trees.  The  business  of 
cracking  pecans  and  selling  the  meats  put  up  in  attractive 
packages  has  created  a  demand  for  the  nuts,  which  is  in- 
creasing at  a  very  rapid  rate.  It  is  largely  due  to  the  impetus 
the  industry  has  received  in  recent  years  that  has  encouraged 
the  planting  of  trees  on  a  commercial  scale  of  the  im- 
proved papershell  types.  The  difficulty  of  extracting  the 
meat  from  the  hard  shell  seedling  nuts  has  been  one  of  the 
causes  for  their  not  being  more  popular  as  a  dessert  fruit. 
The  thin  shells  of  the  improved  types,  the  ease  with  which 
the  meats  are  removed  and  the  noticeable  absence  of  the 
fibrous  segments  found  in  the  hard  shell  nuts,  which  possess 
a  peculiar  acrid  taste,  will  do  much  to  make  it  popular. 

The  lack  of  information  regarding  pecans  in  California  has 
been  due  to  the  fact  that  an  impression  has  prevailed  among 
our  horticulturists  in  general  that  our  climatic  conditions 
are  not  favorable  to  their  successful  culture.  That  this  is 
an  error  is  quite  evident,  for  old  seedling  trees  are  found 
growing  and  producing  heavy  crops  annually  in  the  Sacra- 
mento and  San  Joaquin  Valleys.  A  number  of  seedling  trees, 
two  feet  and  over  in  diameter,  are  growing  one  mile  north 
of  Fresno,  bearing  abundant  crops. 

It  is  only  within  the  last  ten  years  that  pecans  have  been 
regarded  of  sufficient  commercial  importance  to  cause  groves 
to  be  planted  in  the  middle  and  southern  states,  and  the 
condition  of  affairs  has  been  brought  about  by  the  unexcelled 
merit  of  the  Papershell  Pecan.  In  California  only  a  very  few 
Papershells  are  to  be  found;  none  of  these  are  over  fifteen 
years  old,  with  the  most  complete  assortment  of  varieties  on 
the  Roeding  Place. 

The  trees  thrive  in  a  great  variety  of  soils,  doing  well 
in  a  stiff  clay  or  porous  sand,  and  in  Texas  they  are  said  to 
do  well  on  soils  underlaid  with  hardpan,  provided  proper 
precautions  are  taken  to  blast  it  before  planting.  The  plant- 
ing of  trees  should  be  confined  to  soils  where  moisture  is 
either  supplied  by  natural  means  or  irrigation.  Pecans  will 
prove  a  valuable  acquisition  to  our  list  of  nut  fruits  in  the 
warm  interior  valleys  of  California,  Oregon  and  Washington. 
In  the  coast  counties,  although  the  tree  grows  well,  it  does 
not  mature  its  nuts,  due  to  the  cool,  foggy  weather,  which 
does  not  seem  conducive  to  the  proper  development  of  the 
fruit  before  the  dormant  season  sets  in. 

The  advisability  of  planting  only  named  varieties  of 
grafted  or  budded  trees  is  conceded  by  experienced  planters. 
When  trees  are  grown  from  selected  Papershell  seeds,  they 
are  liable  to  produce  nuts  of  variable  character  in  shape, 
size,  thickness  of  shell,  and  quality  of  meat.  The  additional 
cost  of  growing  named  varieties  either  by  budding  or  graft- 
ing is  caused  by  the  very  small  percentage  which  a  nursery- 
man succeeds  in  growing.  If  the  orchardist  will  only  bear 
in  mind  that  the  increased  outlay  for  budded  or 
grafted  trees  is  offset  by  the  fact  that  they  will 
come  into  bearing  in  less  than  half  the  time 
that  seedlings  do,  and  that  the  nuts  will  sell 
for  four  times  as  much  on  the  market,  their 
economy  is  at  once  obvious. 

The  Pecan,  like  the  walnut,  is  unisexual,  that 
is    the    male    and    female    organs    are    not    in    the 

15 


same  blossom.  It  sometimes  happens  that  the 
male  blooms  (catkins)  mature  and  release  their 
pollen  grains  before  the  pistillate  or  female 
bloom  is  in  the  receptive  stage  and  when  this 
occurs  the  nuts  are  hollow  shells  and  it  is 
therefore  advisable  in  planting  a  pecan  grove, 
to  plant  the  two  or  three  varieties  and  alternate 
with  several  rows  of  each.  Trees  should  be 
planted  not  closer  than  40  feet  and  on  rich  bot- 
tom soils  50  feet  is  better.  It  is  entirely  practicable  to 
plant  some  other  variety  between  temporarily  until 
the  Pecan  commences  to  bear  profitable  crops,  when 
the  other  trees  can  be  dug  up.  The  oft  repeated  remark 
that  only  trees  which  have  never  had  their  tap  root 
cut  will  bear,  has  time  and  again  shown  to  be  fallacy, 
in  fact  no  harm  will  result  from  the  shortening  in  of 
the  tap  root,  for  the  tree  is  really  benefited  by  the  more 
spreading  root  system.  The  difficulty  of  securing  a  uniform 
stand  and  protecting  the  trees  from  injury;  the  marked  varia- 
ation  in  the  size  of  the  trees  when  the  nuts  are  planted  in 
the  orchard  •where  the  trees  are  to  grow,  has  further  discour- 
aged this  method  of  procedure  by  practical  men. 

In  setting  a  Pecan  tree,  a  hole  24  inches  in  diameter 
and  30  inches  deep  is  usually  large  enough.  The  trees  should 
be  set  at  least  two  to  three  inches  deeper  than  they  stood 
in  the  nursery  rows,  proper  precaution  being  taken  to  have 
the  reddish,  brown  tint  which  is  the  crown  of  the  root, 
underground,  and  it  should  never  be  exposed  even  after  the 
earth  around  the  tree  is  settled.  When  set  the  trees 
should  'be  cut  back  to  within  3  feet  of  the  ground.  The 
head  of  the  tree  should  be  restricted  to  about  three  frame- 
work branches. 

As  a  general  rule  the  Pecan  requires  comparatively  little 
pruning.  Moderate  pruning  of  the  main  branches  for  the 
first  three  years,  will  promote  stability  in  the  entire  tree. 
After  this  about  all  the  pruning  necessary  is  to  remove  dead 
or  injured  branches  and  cut  back  those  which  have  a  tendency 
to  run  beyond  their  neighbors. 

The  harvesting  of  the  nuts  is  very  simple.  They  mature  in 
November.  In  most  cases,  unless  the  nuts  in  very  large  trees 
are  beyond  reach,  it  is  better  to  gather  the  nuts  by  hand 
rather  than  threshing  them  off  with  poles.  As  soon  as  the 
hulls  are  removed,  dry  the  nuts  on  trays,  spreading  them  out 
about  two  inches  deep,  stirring  them  occasionally  for  a  week, 
when  they  are  ready  to  be  sacked  for  market.  Seedling 
pecans  are  polished  by  putting  the  nuts  with  a  little  dry  sand 
in  a  barrel,  fixed  so  that  it  can  be  rotated  like  a  revolving 
churn,  and  turning  until  the  nuts  receive  the  desired  polish. 
The  markings  on  the  named  varieties  of  papershells  should 
not  be  interfered  with,  as  they  are  rendered  far  more  attrac- 
tive with  their  natural  marks,  dots  and  streaks. 

THE   WALNUT 

Among  the  edible  nuts  grown  in  California,  none  equal  in 
commercial  importance  the  walnut.  Under  favorable  con- 
ditions of  soil  and  climate  the  tree  attains  an  immense  size, 
specimens  some  sixty  feet  high,  with  a  spread  of  fully  one 
hundred  feet,  being  often  conspicuous  features  of  the 
landscape.  It  prefers  a  rather  loamy,  deep,  rich  soil,  finding 
its  greatest  luxuriance  in  such  lands.  No  nut  yields  larger 
and  more  profitable  returns  than  the  walnut;  the  tree  is 
practically  free  from  insect  pests,  and  when  once  established 
it  requires  little  care  as  far  as  pruning  is  concerned.  Good 
and  thorough  cultivation  is  necessary  for  activity  in  the 
growth  of  the  tree,  causing  it  to  respond  with  bountiful 
crops.  The  planting  of  seedling  walnut  trees  has  been  gen- 
erally abandoned  on  account  of  the  many  advantages  of 
grafted  trees,  which  may  be  summed  up  as  follows:  (1)  they 
usually  commence  to  bear  profitable  crops  much  earlier  than 
of  seedlings;  (2)  they  reproduce  the  variety  from  which  buds 
and  grafts  were  taken,  so  there  is  an  absolute  certainty 
that  the  character  of  the  parent  tree  will  be  transferred 
to  the  young  stock;  (3)  perpetuation  of  the  bearing  quali- 
ties of  the  parent  tree  with  nuts  of  identical  quality.  These 
points  form  the  basis  of  success  for  the  grower,  for  the  extra 
price  realized  for  the  product  of  the  grafted  trees  in  connec- 
tion with  their  early  bearing  qualities  more  than  offsets 
the  additional  first  outlay.  In  addition  to  other  facts  men- 
tioned, the  California  Black  Walnut  (Juglans  Californica) 
root  which  is  used  as  a  stock  has  a  decided  influence  in  caus- 
ing the  graft  to  grow  more  vigorously  and  it  will  also  adapt 
itself  to  a  wider  range  of  soil  conditions  than  trees  on  their 
own  roots. 

For  commercial  planting,  trees  are  usually  set  40  feet 
each  way.  although  in  some  instances  where  the  soil  is  ex- 
ceptionally fertile,  trees  are  set  50  feet  apart,  for  as  the 
tree  matures,  it  makes  a  wide  spreading  top,  so  that  it  is 
no  uncommon  sight  to  see  branches  even  at  the  latter  dis- 
tance interlacing. 

All  the  talk  that  the  cutting  of  the  tap  root  of  the  walnut 
interferes  with  its  bearing  qualities  is  nothing  more  or 
less  than  twaddle.  Numbers  of  commercial  orchards  and 
very  profitable  ones  too  are  transplanted  trees.  The  walnut 
even  If  trees  are  ten  feet  high,  should  be  cut  back  to  3  feet 

16 


A  Grafted  Walnut  Tree. 


from  the  ground  after 
being  set.  In  the  in- 
terior valleys  grow- 
ers have  even  found 
it  expedient  to  cut 
trees  down  to  18 
inches  and  train  up 
a  new  stem.  If  there 
are  any  advantages 
in  this  plan  of  pro- 
cedure, they  are  evi- 
denced by  the  tre- 
mendous vigor  and 
the  prevention  of  sun- 
burn of  the  new 
shoot,  which  must  of 
course  be  staked  the 
first  year.  The  coined 
expressions  that  this 
tree  or  that  should 
not  be  pruned  because 
it  would  be  ruined, 
has  had  the  tentacles 
of  misapprehension 
more  closely  inter- 
woven around  the 
walnut  than  possibly 
iny  other  tree.  Which 
is  preferable  the  tree 
with  all  its  fruit 
bearing  wood  in  the 
very  top  or  the  one 
that  is  liberally  sup- 
plied with  laterals 
from  as  nearly  as  it 
can  be  obtained  from 
the  point  from  which 
the  head  is  started? 

If  you  can  secure  a 
more  striking  tree 
with  a  broad  bearing 
surface,  is  it  not  com- 
mon sense  to  suppose 
that  you  are  not  go- 
ing to  reach  the  goal 
you  are  aiming  at,  if 
you  don't  do  some- 
thing to  check  the 
main  trunk  from 
striving  heavenwards. 

No  person  of  intel- 
ligence will  deny  the 
fact  that  one's  arm 
held  at  length  has  not 
the  strength  to  resist 
the  same  strain  as 
when  the  forearm  is 
held  at  right  angles 
to  the  arm.  The  same 
principle  applies  to 
the  main  limbs  of  the 
tree.  The  development 
of  elbows  promotes 
strength,  incre  a  s  e  d 
bearing  surface  and  a 
perfect  tree.  Is  there 
anything  more  to  be 
desired?  Cutting  back 
the  framework 
branches  one-half  the 
first  winter  after 
planting;  pruning  the 
laterals  in  the  same 
manner  the  second 
winter  and  thinning 
out  when  there  is  a 
tendency  to  o  v  e  r- 
srowding,  followed  by 
a  more  moderate 
treatment  in  the  third 
winter,  and  the 
checking  of  rampant 
growing  limbs  in  the 


Same  tree  topped  and  root  pruned  for 
planting. 


17 


^Planter 


fourth  season  when  they  have  a  tendency  to 
outstrip  their  neighbors,  and  following  out  this 
last  recommendation  in  subsequent  years,  are 
requisites  easily  carried  out  to  make  a  perfect 
tree. 

The  holes  for  planting  should  not  be  less  than 
three  feet  deep  and  two  feet  in  diameter.  Cut 
the  tap  root  off  at  about  twenty-four  inches  and 

trim  off  all  bruised  and  broken  lateral  roots  before  planting. 

A  liberal  application  of  thick  whitewash,  in  which  some  salt 

or  glue  has  been  dissolved,   is  very  beneficial  as   it  prevents 

sunburn. 

The  walnut  like  the 

Pecan     is     unisexual, 

that  is  the  flowers  of 

both    sexes    although 

produced  on  the  same 

tree,   do   not   occur  in 

the  same  flower.     The 

male    flowers    are 

called  catkins  and  in 

the     spring    are     dis- 
tributed     throughout 

the  tree  and  look  like 

tassels;      the     female 

flowers    are    like    two 

little     horns     at     the 

terminal   ends    of   the 

new  growth. 

One  of  the  striking 

peculiarities     of     the 

French   type   of   wal- 
nuts,     is      their      late 

blooming.    This  pecu- 
liar  feature   of   these 

walnuts  was  no  doubt 

developed      in      Gren- 
oble,    France,     where 

the    Chaberte,    Fran- 

quette,    Mayette,    and 

Parisienne    originated 

to  overcome  the  nip- 
ping of   the  blossoms 

by   late   frosts   in   the 

spring.        When      the 

French     walnuts     are 

planted    among    such 

varieties       as       Santa 

Barbara,     Placentia 

Perfection  and  others 


A  fine  type  of  top  grafted  walnut  tree. 
Top  growth  six  years  old.  If  pruning  the 
walnut  tree  is  unwise,  one  would  not  be- 
lieve so  from  this  tree.  Pruning  from  now 
on  will  consist  only  of  thinning  and  cut- 
ting back  over  ambitious  branches. 


the  difference  is  very 
striking,  for  they 
very  rarely  have  a 
bud  swelled  by  the 
middle  of  April'while 
the  California  varie- 
ties will  be  clothed 
with  all  their  foliage 

Deep  alluvial  soils  should  always  be  selected  for  planting 
walnuts,  and  a  liberal  supply  of  water  should  be  available, 
either  by  surface  irrigation,  or  the  soil  in  which  the  trees  are 
planted  should  be  of  a  moist  nature. 

It  is  only  recently  that  the  San  Joaquin  and  Sacramento 
Valleys  have  been  found  to  possess  climatic  and  soil  condi- 
tions, making  the  culture  of  the  walnut  a  very  profitable 
undertaking,  particularly  for  the  French  varieties  grafted 
on  California  Black  Walnut  root. 

THE   FIG 

Figs  grown  in  the  United  States  either  for  eating  fresh  or 
for  drying  are  of  one  species,  viz:  Ficus  carica.  There  are 
an  endless  number  of  varieties  of  figs.  In  many  instances 
on  account  of  the  wide  distribution  of  this  fruit  throughout 
the  world  the  same  variety  may  be  blessed  with  any  num- 
ber of  synonyms.  This  is  the  case  with  several  sorts  grown 
in  California  today.  Not  over  six  varieties  comprises  the  list 
of  commercial  varieties  for  all  purposes  in  California. 

LOCALITIES  FAVORABLE  FOR  THE  FIG 
It  is  safe  to  say  that  no  deciduous  tree  grown  in  the 
semi-tropic  and  temperate  zones,  will  adapt  itself  to  a  wider 
range  of  climates  and  soils  than  the  fig.  Figs  can  be  used  for 
such  a  variety  of  purposes,  namely:  drying,  canning,  preserv- 
ing, shipping  in  the  fresh  state  and  for  home  use,  that  a  wide 
range  is  open  for  their  successful  exploitation.  To  produce 
the  finest  dried  figs  with  the  thinnest  skin  and  rich  in  sugar, 
a  warm  dry  climate  is  an  important  factor.  They  will 
withstand  a  temperature  of  18  degrees  Fahrenheit  in  the 
winter  months,  without  being  injured.  Hence  their  geo- 
graphical distribution  is  very  wide,  embracing  all  portions 
of  this  State,  the  sheltered  sections  of  Arizona,  New  Mexico 
and  southwestern  Texas,  the  extreme  Southern  States,  Old 
Mexico,  the  Hawaiian  Islands  and  Australia. 

18 


5/t" 


2ft 


PLANTING    AND    PRUNING 


Bear  in  mind  that  the  fig 
tree  is  of  a  spreading  habit 
and  is  also  a  great  surface 
feeder,  and  therefore  avoid 
planting  the  trees  too  close 
together.  On  the  general 
run  of  soils  30  feet  on  the 
square  system  is  a  good  stand- 
ard distance  which  may  be 
increased  if  soil  conditions 
warrant,  but  trees  should 
never  be  planted  closer  for 
commercial  purposes.  As  the 
fig  tree  is  long  lived  and  will 
in  time  occupy  a  large  area,  it 
is  practicable  to  plant  trees  40 
feet  apart,  alternating  with 
other  fruit  trees,  or  grape- 
vines may  be  planted  between 
the  rows  which  may  be  re- 
moved in  later  years.  As  a 
border  tree  for  Inclosing  or- 
chards and  vineyards,  or  for 
aligning  avenues,  it  not  only 
makes  a.  striking  effect  but  is 
also  very  profitable. 

Although  the  fig  will  stand 
all  kinds  of  neglect  after  it  is 
established,  too  great  em- 
phasis cannot  be  laid  on  the 
close  attention  which  must  be 
given  in  transplanting  the 

4V^mi  BUT       trees  from  the  nursery  to  the 

orchard.      The    roots    of    a    fig 
tree  are  very  susceptible  to  ex- 
_,.     m  ,    posure,   hence  should  be  care- 

A  nursery  grown  Fig  Tree  and   f ully    covered    in    transferring 
the  same  tree  cut  back  ready  for   from  the  trenches  to  the  field. 

It     is    surprising    what    effect 

planting.  the  puddling  of  the  roots  will 

have   in   preventing  their  dry- 
ing out  even  in  cases  of  severe 

winds,  and  we  cannot  emphasize  the  importance  of  this  too 
strongly.  As  an  illustration  of  this  point,  we  wish  to  say  we 
have  taken  trees  which  were  in  leaf  and  after  puddling  the 
roots  thrown  them  into  the  open  air  for  a  couple  of  hours  and 
not  a  leaf  would  wilt,  while  trees  not  treated  in  this  manner 
would  dry  up,  root  and  top,  in  ten  minutes  exposure.  To 
make  a  puddle  dig  a  hole  eighteen  inches  deep,  two  feet  in 
diameter,  fill  it  partly  full  with  heavy  soil,  mix  with  water 
until  you  have  a  muck  the  consistency  of  a  heavy  paint.  Dip 


A  One-Year-Old  orchard  grown 
Fig  Tree  with  the  frame  work 
limbs  well  divided  and  cut  back. 


A  Two- Year- Old  Fig 


Tree  commencing 

to  grow  a  shapely 

head. 


19 


The  Third  Season. 
The  head  of  the  tree  has 

broadened  out  and 
it  has  numerous  fruit 

bearing  laterals. 

This  is  a  result  of  proper 

pruning. 


the  roots  into  this,  and  give  no  further  concern  about  their 
drying  out  even  if  exposed  to  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  for 
a  short  period. 

Before  planting  cut  off  all  bruised  and  lacerated  roots  and 
make  a  fresh  cut  on  all  other  roots,  so  they  have  a  smooth 
clean  surface.  The  tree  when  planted  should  not  stand  over 
three  inches  deeper  than  it  stood  in  the  nursery  row.  Never 
neglect  to  settle  the  earth  around  the  trees  with  not  less  than 
fifteen  gallons  of  water.  After  the  water  has  soaked  away 
fill  in  with  fine  soil  without  tramping.  No  greater  mistake 
can  be  made  than  to  wait  for  rain  or  for  water  to  be  turned 
into  the  irrigating  ditches.  After  the  tree  is  planted,  cut 
back  to  twenty  inches  from  the  ground,  and  cover  the  wound 
with  rubber  paint,  or  grafting  wax. 

The  first  winter  cut  the  branches  of  the  one  year  trees  back 
to  about  twelve  inches,  leaving  not,  more  than  four  to  make 
the  head  of  a  tree.  Have  these  distributed  in  such  a  manner 
that  there  will  be  sufficient  room  for  them  to  expand  without 
crowding  as  the  tree  grows  older.  The  second  season  cut  not 
less  than  two-thirds  of  the  new  growth,  leaving  not  more 
than  two  shoots  on  each  of  the  frame  work  branches.  Any 
branches  on  the  underside  of  the  limbs  having  a  tendency 
to  droop  to  the  ground  should  be  removed.  The  third 
season  shorten  in  the  new  growth  about  half,  leaving  the 
same  multiple  of  branches  on  each  of  the  previous  year's 
shoots  as  were  left  the  year  before.  In  after  years  the  prun- 
ing is  limited  to  the  removal  of  branches  which  cross  or 
interfere  with  each  other  and  checking  the  growth  of 
branches  making  an  excessive  growth.  Young  trees  should 
always  be  protected  with  tree  protectors  to  prevent  sunburn. 
The  fig  tree  is  just  as  responsive  to  good  care,  thorough 
cultivation,  as  any  other  variety  of  fruit  tree,  and  the  bearing 
capabilities  will  be  commensurate  with  the  care  bestowed  on 
the  trees  while  young.  But  very  little  fruit  is  to  be  expected 
till  the  trees  are  four  years  old. 

CROP    SURE — 1VO   FAILURES 

The  absolute  certainty  of  the  crop  is  indicated  by  the  policy 
pursued,  in  many  sections  of  California,  by  the  packers  of 
dried  figs  who  make  it  a  practice  to  purchase  the  entire 
output  of  an  orchard  extending  over  a  period  of  years  at  a 
fixed  annual  sum.  The  prices  paid  depend  largely  on  the 
size  of  the  trees,  and  range  from  $1.00  to  $5.00  per  tree. 
It  is  no  unusual  thing  for  these  contracts  to  involve  sums 
as  high  as  $5000.00  per  annum.  The  contractors  assume  all 
the  expense  of  harvesting,  the  grower  merely  prunes  and 
cultivates  his  orchard  under  this  arrangement.  The  very  fact 
that  our  importations  of  Smyrna  Fig  are  constantly  increas- 
ing, the  annual  amount  averaging  not  far  from  13,000  tons, 
is  in  itself  sufficient  indication  of  the  possibilities  in  store 
for  the  building  up  of  a  great  industry  under  the  favorable 
condtions  presented  in  many  sections  of  our  Pacific  Coast 
States. 

Talk  about  living,  or  rather  luxuriating,  under  your  own 
vine  and  fig  tree  beneath  our  balmy  skies;  if  this  is  not  a 
truism  expressing  the  delight  of  going  beak  to  the  soil  in 
the  glorious  climate  of  California,  what  is? 

For  detailed  information  giving  concise  and  explicit  direc- 
tions as  to  caprification.  curing,  etc.,  -write  for  a  cony  of 
"Roedlng'a  Practical  Horticulture,"  entitled  "The  Fig." 

20 


THE  OLIVE 

In  California  the  olive  has  long  since  passed  the  experi- 
mental stage  and  is  now  being  produced  in  quantities  for 
pickling  and  oil  purposes.  The  important  position  that  it  is 
destined  to  occupy  as  one  of  our  leading  horticultural  indus- 
tries, can  no  longer  be  questioned. 

California  possesses  the  same  soil  and  climatic  conditions 
in  which  the  olive  thrives  in  the  countries  of  Europe,  Asia 
and  Africa,  and  there  is  absolutely  no  obstacle  to  prevent  our 
supplying  the  demands  of  not  only  this  country  but  becoming 
exporters  of  the  numerous  products  for  which  the  olive  is 
noted. 

PLANTING 

Today  the  transplanting  of  olive  trees  is  comparatively  an 
easy  matter  to  what  it  was  twenty-five  years  ago  when  the 
industry  was  just  beginning  to  attract  the  attention  of  hori- 
culturists.  At  that  time  unless  the  trees  were  potted  plants, 
they  invariably  died.  After  years  of  experimental  work  the 
cause  of  the  trees  failing  to  grow  was  found  to  be  due 
to  not  topping  the  trees  and  shortening  in  the  lateral 
branches  when  digging.  This  method  of  trimming  over- 
comes much  of  the  evaporation  and  loss  of  vitality  through 
the  foliage  and  much  of  the  trouble  formerly  experiencd  has 
been  overcome.  In  nearly  all  cases  where  trees  fail  to  grow 
the  trouble  can  be  traced  back  to  not  again  cutting  the  trees 
back  to  twenty  inches  from  the  ground  after  they  are  set 
or  to  careless  handling  on  the  part  of  the  planter  after  the 
trees  are  received. 

In  the  first  place  we  do  not  recommend  that  olive  trees  be 
transplanted  until  the  middle  of  February,  for  it  is  only  in  a 
few  places  that  the  growing  season  starts  in  before  this. 

When  receives  at  destination  take  them  out  of  the  recep- 
tacle in  which  they  are  packed  and  heel  them  in  a  sandy, 
warm  soil  and  then  turn  a  hose  loose  in  the  trench  so  that  the 


A  nursery  grown 
Olive  Tree. 


To  the  left  the 
same  tree 

pruned 
for  planting. 


With  the  Olive 

tree  it  is 

essential  to 

induce  a  strong 

growth 
when  young, 

hence  the 

importance  of 

intelligent 

pruning. 


The  first  season's 

growth  of  an 

Olive  Tree  in  the 

orchard. 


The  importance  of 
shortening  in 
these  branches 
cannot  be  over- 
estimated.   It  is 
our  observation 
that  unprofitable 
trees  are  often 
the  result  of  a 
want  of  pruning. 


soil  will  fill  in  all  interstices  and  exclude  the  air.  After  the 
soil  is  settled  fill  in  with  loose  soil  and  tramp  it  down.  The 
trench  should  not  be  less  than  fourteen  inches  deep  and  have 
your  trees  stand  upright,  rather  than  at  an  angle.  Treated  in 
this  manner  they  will  remain  in  perfect  condition  until  the 
ground  is  in  shape  for  planting. 

As  the  roots  of  an  olive  are  very  sensitive  to  exposure  as 
soon  as  they  are  taken  out  of  the  trenches  and  prior  to  plant- 
ing, all  bruised  and  lacerated  roots  should  be  cut  off  and  a 
new  clean  cut  made  on  all  the  other  roots.  Before  taking  out 
to  the  field,  puddle  the  roots  in  the  same  manner  as  is  recom- 
mended for  the  fig.  This  particular  phase  of  the  operation 
must  not  be  overlooked.  Dig  the  holes  to  receive  the  trees 
as  recommended  for  the  general  run  of  deciduous  fruit  trees 
and  follow  the  other  directions  faithfully.  Do  not  fail  to 
cut  the  tree  back  to  twenty  inches  after  being  planted  and 
shorten  all  laterals  to  two  inches. 
If  there  should  be  no  laterals,  cut  the 
trees  back  anyway,  for  the  olive  will 
always  force  out  its  blind  buds. 

The  theory  that  olives  can  be 
grown  successfully  on  poor  rocky 
soils  has  been  exploded  long  ago. 
It  is  a  fact  that  olive  trees  are 
found  growing  in  such  soils  in  many 
countries  of  Europe,  as  the  writer 
knows  from  personal  observation, 
but  this  does  not  indicate  that  olive 
culture  is  a  success  in  such  soils,  for 
it  is  not.  The  trees  usually  are 
scrawny,  entirely  lacking  in  the  es- 
sentials which  go  to  make  a  perfect 
tree,  and  would  cause  the  orchardist 
accustomed  to  'the  fine  luxuriant 
trees,  as  they  grow  in  California,  to 
have  heart  failure  if  he  had  such 
prospects  before  him. 

It  is  not  necessary  for  any  man  to 
waste  his  time  attempting  to  grow 
.olives  in  inferior  soils,  with  the 
thousands  of  acres  of  fine  land  still 
available  for  cultivation. 

Do  not  make  the  mistake  of  plant- 
ing the  trees  too  close  together.  The 
olive  is  a  gross  feeder  and  sends  out 
a  mass  of  small  surface  roots.  Never 
plant  closer  than  twenty-five  feet 
apart  on  sandy  soils,  thirty  feet  in  a 
good  loamy  soil,  and  it  is  practicable 
to  plant  trees  forty  feet  apart  on 
rich  deep  soils,  with  a  deciduous  tree 


Note  how  the  branches 
have  been  shortened  in  and 
thinned  out,  and  that  as 
far  as  possible  branches 
having  an  upward  tenden- 
cy, have  been  encouraged 
to  grow. 


between,  with  a  view  of  taking  it  out  as  soon  as  the  olives 
attain  any  size. 

Even  in  localities  in  which  there  is  a  bountiful  rainfall, 
the  trees  should  be  irrigated  not  less  than  four  times  in  the 
growing  season  for  the  first  four  years  of  their  existence. 

When  the  tree  is  planted  it  should  stand  at  least  four  inches 
deeper  than  in  the  nursery  rows.  Allow  the  tree  to  grow 
without  much  interference  the  first  year,  for  the  more  vigor- 
ous the  new  growth  and  the  more  of  it,  the  stronger  will  be 
the  root  development.  The  first  winter  after  planting  trim 


A  Two- Year- Old 

Olive  Tree. 
The  pruning  that  it  received 

the  previous  year  is 

causing  it  to  assume  the 

goblet  form. 


all  the  growth  off  except  4  or  5  branches  close  to  the  head, 
and  have  these  properly  distributed,  as  they  will  ultimately 
form  the  main  frame  work  branches.  Cut  off  two-thirds  of 
their  growth.  The  second  winter  trim  the  tree  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  leave  from  one  to  two  laterals  on  the  original 
frame  work  branches,  bearing  in  mind  that  these  branches 
should  have  an  upright  tendency,  and  cut  them  in  turn  back 
at  least  one-half.  In  subsequent  years  this  same  method  of 
thinning  out  and  shortening  in  should  be  followed,  and  this 
cutting  should  be  quite  severe  for  at  least  four  years.  The 
workman  should  not  always  prune  to  an  outside  lateral,  but 
should  exercise  some  judgment  to  balance  the  tree  by  causing 
some  branches  to  slope  inwardly  and  force  others  to  have 


A  Three-Year-Old 

orchard  grown 
Mission  Olive  Tree, 

making  a  fine 

uniform  and  healthy 

growth. 


The  same  tree  with 

many  of  its 

branches  thinned  out 

and  the  laterals 

and  top  growth 

properly  pruned  to 

develop 
an  ideal  tree. 


an  outward  tendency  as  illustrated  in  the  cuts.  This  pro- 
motes sturdiness  in  the  tree  and  a  healthy  uniform  growth 
also  a  broad  bearing  surface,  many  small  lateral  fruit  bearing 
branches,  and  naturally  more  fruit  than  an  unpruned  tree,  the 
growth  of  which,  if  not  checked,  would  consist  of  several 
straight,  upright  shoots  with  all  the  fruit-baring  branchlets 
in  the  top.  In  case  of  a  heavy  crop,  these  branches  being 
without  any  natural  braces,  which  would  have  developed  by 
pruning,  would  bend  over  and  in  many  instances  break  off. 
After  a  number  of  years  the  shearing  off  of  the  small  laterals 
will  cause  many  so-called  "crows-nests"  to  form  in  the  trees, 
and  the  new  growth  will  be  rather  weak.  It  will  be  at  least 


Manzanillo 

Olive  Tree, 

six  years  old. 

Growing 
vigorously  and 
giving  promise 

of  becoming 
a  fine  specimen 


Observe  that 

it  is  liberally 

supplied  with 

an  abundance 

of  fruit  bearing 

branchlets  from 

the  ground  up. 


15  years  before  the  trees  will  reach  this  stage,  but  when  they 
do  there  should  be  no  hesitancy  in  cutting  them  back  severely 
and  thinning-  vigorously,  to  promote  a  strong,  new  growth. 
Even  before  this  age  the  trees  will  have  a  large  amount  of 
inside  growth,  which,  when  it  is  no  longer  productive,  should 
be  cut  out  entirely.  This  does  not  mean  necessarily  that  the 
trees  should  be  thinned  out  like  a  peach,  for  this  would  be  a 
mistake,  but  that  wood  which  indicates  by  its  appearance  that 
it  has  lost  its  vitality  should  be  removed,  for  it  will  soon  be 
replaced  by  new  wood. 

Trees  that  have  attained  an  age  of  thirty  or  even  fifty 
years  may  be  induced  to  clothe  themselves  with  a  wealth 
of  new  growtli  if  the  method  of  pruning  which  is  here  recom- 
mended is  observed.  The  very  fact  that  there  are  a  number 
of  laterals  as  well  as  leaders  varying  in  diameter  from  two 
to  six  inches  or  larger  makes  it  practicable  to  resort  to 
extremes  in  severe  cutting  back,  should  it  be  necessary.  The 
smaller  limbs  will  be  the  first  to  start  vigorously  and  con- 
serve the  vitality  of  the  tree  and  afford  protection  to  the 
larger  limbs  until  the  new  wood  starts  to  grow.  One  of  the 
important  points  to  be  observed  in  this  treatment  of  old  trees 
is  to  cover  the  body  and  limbs  with  a  heavy  coating  of  white- 
wash, and  shade  with  burlap  in  addition  to  this  in  climates 
where  there  are  extremes  of  hot  weather  during  the  summer 
months.  For  the  first  few  years  following  this  cutting  back 
of  large  limbs  the  new  growth  should  be  shortened  in 
severely  rather  than  to  be  thinned  out,  for  the  greater  the 
shade  the  more  responsive  will  be  the  vigor  of  the  new 
.  "-hoots,  and  the  less  danger  there  will  be  from  sun-burn.  Of 
all  things,  every  precaution  must  be  taken  to  prevent  this. 

For  further  detailed  information  on  the  olive,  -write  for  a 
copy  of  our  Bulletin  on  the  olive.  It  is  free. 

THE    ORANGE 

Taking  its  inception  in  the  warm  belt  of  the  Southern 
counties  of  the  State,  citrus  culture  has  gradually  found  its 
way  farther  north,  until  at  the  present  writing,  oranges  and 
lemons  are  grown  within  the  very  shadow  of  Mount  Shasta; 
in  Arizona — notably  the  Salt  River  Valley — and  in  many  por- 
tions of  Old  Mexico.  The  sheltered  nooks  and  interior  valleys 
of  the  Sierras,  the  thermal  belts  in  Placer,  Kern  and  Tulare 
counties,  the  regions  free  from  biting  frosts  in  the  great 
valleys  of  the  San  Joaquin  and  Sacramento,  all  furnish  condi- 
tions in  which  the  orange  and  the  lemon  luxuriate. 

That  citrus  culture  is  one  of  the  great  and  growing  indus- 
tries of  California  can  no  longer  be  questioned  when  it  is 
borne  in  mind  that  the  shipments  are  $40,000,000.00  and  over 
annually. 

Citrus  trees  are  either  dug  with  a  ball  of  earth  varying 
in  weight  from  25  to  40  pounds,  or  they  are  taken  up  with 
naked  roots.  The  former  method  is  usually  followed  in 
handling  trees  in  California.  Freight  charges  on  stock  hand- 
led in  this  manner  are  heavy,  still  the  satisfaction  of  knowing 
that  with  ordinary  care  every  tree  will  grow,  offsets  the 
slight  additional  expense  incurred  in  transportation  charges. 
Trees  taken  up  in  this  way  can  if  necessary  be  kept  in  a  shed 
for  several  months  before  planting,  if  the  balls  of  earth 
are  watered  occasionally.  In  taking  up  trees  with  naked 
roots  the  greatest  care  should  be  exercised  on  the  part  of  the 
orchardist  to  avoid  exposure.  When  set,  the  leaves  should 
be  stripped  off  to  retard  evaporation  and  loss  of  sap  in  conse- 
quence. In  planting  set  the  trees  so  that  when  the  soil  is 
settled  the  union  of  the  bud  with  the  stock  will  be  at  least 
four  inches  above  the  ground. 


The  same  tree 

pruned  and  thinned 

out  sufficiently  to 

promote  increased 

vigor. 

This  tree,  with  its 

abundance  of 

well  distributed 

laterals,  will  have  a 

fine  crop  of  fruit. 


25 


rA'One-Year-Old^ 
c  i  Orange  Tree. 


A  tree  showing  a 

a  year's 

development  in 

the  orchard. 

Notice  these 

branches,  which, 

if  allowed  to 

grow  unchecked, 

draw  the  tree  out 

of  shape,  all 

of  the  growth 

going  into  a  few 

straggling  limbs. 


Be  sure  to  settle  the  earth  around  the  trees  with  water, 
whether  planted  with  naked  roots  or  balled.  In  filling  in 
the  hole  around  a  balled  tree,  never  tramp  on  the  top  of  the 
ball,  as  it  will  break  it.  dislodge  the  fibrous  roots  and  in 
many  instances  cause  it  to  die.  After  the  hole,  in  which  a 
balled  tree  is  planted,  is  partially  filled,  cut  the  cords  by 
which  the  burlap  is  tied  to  the  tree;  the  burlap  need  not  neces- 
sarily be  removed  as  it  will  soon  rot. 

Seedling  trees  should  be  planted  not  closer  than  30  feet  on 
the  square  method;  budded  trees  from  22  to  24  feet,  with  the 
exception  of  such  varieties  as  Satsumas,  Limes  and  Kum- 

quats,  which  are  of  a 
dwarfish  habit,  and 
should  be  planted  from 
12  to  15  feet  apart. 

TIME    TO   PLANT 


Citrus  trees  being 
evergreen  they  can  be 
planted  at  all  seasons  of 
the  year,  although  the 
months  of  March,  April, 
May  and  June  are  con- 
sidered the  most  favor- 
able. In  the  interior 
valleys  where  it  is  ex- 
tremely hot  and  dry  dur- 
ing the  summer  months, 
it  is  advisable  to  plant 
as  early  as  possible  in 
the  spring,  although 
planting  should  not 
commence  until  the 
ground  is  fairly  warm, 
so  that  the  tree  will  im- 
mediately start  to  grow. 
Trees  planted  too  early, 
while  the  ground  is  still 
cold  and  wet,  will  re- 
main in  a  dormant  con- 
dition until  the  ground 
gets  sufficiently  warmed 
up  so  that  they  can 
make  a  start.  When 
this  condition  prevails 


The  same  tree  correctly  pruned  to 
form  a  well  shaped  head. 


26 


for  any  length  of  time  it  causes  the  finer  roots  to  decay;  as 
a  consequence  of  this,  when  the  tree  does  start,  it  will  make 
rather  a  slow' growth  until  new  rootlets  are  formed.  For  this 
reason  it  is  advisable  to  defer  planting-  until  conditions  are 
favorable  for  the  tree  to  start  to  grow  as  soon  as  planted. 

Along  the  coast  where  the  summer  climate  is  more  moder- 
ate, citrus  trees  are  planted  with  good  results  all  through 
the  spring  and  summer  months.  In  fact,  the  trees  planted 
during  June  and  July  seem  to  make  nearly  as  good  a  growth 
as  those  planted  in  the  spring.  Where  planting  cannot  be 
done  before  this  time,  it  is  our  opinion  that  July  or  early 
August  planting  is  preferable  to  waiting  over  until  the 
following  spring.  Even  though  the  trees  dp  not  make  quite 
as  vigorous  a  growth  as  those  planted  earlier  in  the  season, 
they  make  sufficient  growth  to  become  thoroughly  estab- 
lished, in  consequence  of  -which,  they  are  all  ready  to  start 
with  the  first  touch  of  spring  and  are  far  ahead  of  any  that 
can  be  planted  at  that  time. 

The  only  thing  necessary  to  successful  summer  planting 
is  to  see  that  the  trees  are  properly  handled  from  the  nursery 
to  the  orchard  and  are  sufficiently  well  irrigated  and  culti- 
vated. The  prompt  application  Of  water  to  newly  planted 
trees  is  very  essential  in  late  planting. 

STOCKS 

In  order  to  meet  soil  and  climatic  conditions  in  different 
sections,  we  bud  our  citrus  trees  on  the  following  stocks: 
Sweet  Orange,  (Citrus  Aurantium  Dulcis),  Sour  Orange, 
(Citrus  Aurantium  Amara),  and  Deciduous  Orange  (Citrus 
Trifoliata).  On  the  first  named  sort  the  budded  trees  outgrow 
those  on  any  other  root,  and  practically  all  the  old  groves 
of  the  State  are  worked  on  this  stock  and  are  thrifty  and 
healthy,  except  when  situated  on  soils  where  there  is  an 
excess  of  moisture  during  certain  seasons.  Sweet  orange 
seedlings  are  grown  from  the  seed  of  the  common  sweet  seed- 
ling orange.  Sour  Orange  seedlings  are  grown  from  the 
seed  of  the  sour  orange  so  extensively  grown  in  Florida 
as  a  seedling  for  budding  practically  all  types  of  citrus 
trees.  Although  the  buds  do  not  grow  as  rapidly  or  attain 
as  large  a  size  in  mature  trees,  this  stock  is  very  resistant 
to  gum  disease,  hence  it  has  been  much  in  demand  in  recent 
years  for  heavy  soils  where  water  was  apt  to  stand  for  any 
length  of  time  either  because  of  summer  irrigation  or  a  heavy 
rainfall  in  the  winter  months.  The  Citrus  Trifoliata  is  a 
native  of  Japan  and  is  the  hardiest  orange  known.  It  is 
deciduous,  its  fruits  are  very  bitter  and  of  no  commercial 
value,  but  its  hardiness  seems  to  exercise  a  decided  influence 
on  the  budded  tree.  It  is  more  resistant  to  cold  than  any 
other  stock. 


Orange  Tree 
two  years  old,  rath- 
er one  sided. 


An  irregular 

development  of 

branches  in  the 

Orange  tree  is  to  be 

avoided ;  it  should 

present  a  compact, 

well  defined 

growth. 


27 


The  same  tree 

pruned. 

Note  that  it  was 

cut  back  severely. 

Shortening  in 

the  branches 

having  an  upward 

tendency,  will 

cause 

the  tree  to  round 
out  uniformly. 


Actual  experiments  have  proven  that  trees  grown  on  this 
stock  come  into  bearing  sooner,  produce  heavier  crops  when 
the  trees  are  young,  with  no  tendency  to  change  in  this 
respect  as  the  trees  attain  age,  and  although  the  development 
of  the  tree  is  somewhat  slower,  it  is  indicated  more  by  the 
close  compact  growth  and  not  as  is  erroneously  believed  the 
trees  will  not  grow  into  typical  orchard  shape.  That  the  trees 
do  bear  regularly  and  heavily;  that  they  do  mature  their 
oranges  earlier,  and  that  the  orchards  are  up  to  the  standard 
of  those  grown  on  other  roots,  we  have  actual  examples  of  to 
prove  our  assertions  from  trees  now  in  full  bearing  which 
were  grown  by  us.  In  most  cases  where  the  tendency  of  a 
stock  is  to  dwarf  the  tree  on  which  it  is  worked,  the  stock 
will  be  smaller  than  the  body  of  the  tree.  With  the  Trifoliata 
root  the  very  opposite  is  the  case. 

PRUNING 

Our  citrus  trees  are  headed  at  about  twenty-eight  inches 
from  the  ground,  hence  all  that  is  necessary  for  the  planter 
to  do  is  to  shorten  the  branchlets  to  about  six  inches  and  to 
thin  them  out,  not  leaving  more  than  six  if  they  have  a 
tendency  to  be  overcrowded. 

Trees  headed  at  four  feet  or  more  should  be  cut  back  to 
28  inches  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  new  head.  High 
headed  trees  are  always  objectionable,  for  they  not  only 
expose  much  of  the  stem  causing  sunburn,  but  in  addition 
to  this  the  tree  is  retarded  in  acquiring  a  sturdy  compact 
growth.  In  pruning,  above  all  things  do  not  be  deceived 
into  the  idea  that  the  trees  must  be  thinned  out  to  admit 
air  and  sun.  The  tendency  of  nearly  all  the  budded  varieties 
is  to  droop,  so  in  shaping  the  tree  cut  to  a  lateral  which  has 
an  upward  tendency. 

An  orange  tree  for  the  first  four  years  of  its  existence  does 
not  require  thinning  out  as  is  the  case  with  deciduous  trees, 
but  it  does  need  systematic  .shortening  in  of  the  rampant 
growing  branches  which  draw  it  out  of  shape.  This  cutting 
may  be  carried  on  in  the  summer  months  and  then  again 
in  the  spring  just  before  the  trees  start  to  make  their  new 
growth.  Although  the  principle  of  pruning  the  orange  tree 
is  the  very  opposite  of  that  employed  in  shaping  deciduous 
trees,  we  cannot  too  emphatically  lay  stress  on  the  extreme 
importance  of  the  free  use  of  the  pruning  shears  in  the 
shaping  of  an  orange  tree.  Unless  lateral  branches  from 
the  main  body  of  the  tree  are  actually  interfering  with 
each  other,  do  not  cut  them  out,  but  leave  them  alone  to  lend 
their  aid.  in  formine:  a  fine  compact,  well  rounded  head.  It  is 
no  trouble  to  cut  them  out  in  later  years  when  they  cease  to 
be  fruitful.  If  you  want  to  grow  big  crops  of  oranges  don't 
expect  it  by  having  all  of  your  fruit  on  the  outside  of  your 

28 


tree.  The  natural  tendency  of  an  orange  tree  is  to  have  its 
inside  branches  protected  from  the  rays  of  the  sun  and  every 
effort  should  be  made  to  maintain  this  condition.  During 
the  formation  period,  any  ambitious  branches  shooting  sky- 
ward far  beyond  the  others,  should  be  cut  off  and  forced  to 
develop  laterals  which  will  gradually  build  the  tree  upwardly 
as  well  as  outwardly. 


Orange  Tree 

three  years  old 

Notice  the 

long  leaders 

and  the 

sprawling 

tendency 

of  this  tree. 


A  well  pruned  orange  tree  should  present  a  compact  mass 
of  foliage  with  none  of  the  branches  exposed  to  view.  Never 
neglect  to  protect  the  stems  of  young  trees,  for  the  first  two 
years.  Wrap  with  burlap,  paper  or  tules,  but  the  best  and 
most  serviceable  tree  protector  is  one  made  of  yucca  fibre. 
This  allows  the  free  circulation  of  air  around  the  stem  of 
the  tree.  The  protection  of  the  stem  prevents  the  develop- 
ment of  suckers  and  obviates  the  danger  from  sunburn, 
while  the  top  growth  is  stimulated. 

In  most  localities  during  the  summer  months  citrus  trees 
must  be  irrigated  every  three  or  four  weeks.  In  heavy 
adobe  soils  every  precaution  should  be  taken  not  to  allow 
the  water  used  in  irrigating  to  touch  the  stem  as  it  will  cause 
gum  disease.  THE  ^^ 

It  is  generally  understood  that  the  lemon  will  not  stand 
as  low  a  temperature  as  the  orange,  hence  its  planting  for 
commercial  purposes  is  restricted  to  localities  where  the 
temperature  during  the  winter  months  does  not  go  lower 
than  24  degrees  Fahrenheit  above  zero.  The  tree  is  a  strag- 


The  same  tree 

severely   cut  back. 

The  pruning 

shear 

unhesitatingly 

applied,  is  the 

corrective  measure 

to  bring  this 
tree  into  shape. 


29 


Lemon  tree  just  transplanted 
from  the  nursery  to  the  orchard 
with  its  branches  shortened  in 
as  they  should  be.  Note  that  the 
crown  is  developed  at  about  28 
inches  from  the  ground.  Citrus 
trees  headed  high  should  be  cut 
back  to  a  single  stem,  for  the 
purpose  of  starting  the  frame 
work  lower  down,  an  important 
point. 


gling  grower  and  the  branches  must  be  held  in 
check  by  systematic  annual  pruning-,  for  left  to 
itself  the  fruit  will  be  on  the  ends  of  the  long  un- 
restrained branches.  There  are  many  systems  of 
pruning-  but  the  fundamental  principle  is  back  of 
all  of  them  to  produce  compact  but  not  too  dense 
low  headed  trees  with  a  large  amount  of  bear- 
ing- surface  on  easily  accessible  branches. 

When  the  tree  is  first  plant- 
ed the  same  directions  as  given 
for  the  orange  should  be  ob- 
served, but  in  the  subsequent 
prunings  the  method  of  pro- 
cedure is  quite  different.  Not 
more  than  four  branches  are 
selected  to  form  the  frame- 
work of  the  tree.  These  in 
turn  are  persistently  cut  back 
and  encouraged  to  assume  a 
nearly  horizontal  position. 
Any  branches  showing  an  in- 
clination to  make  a  strong 
growth  in  a  vertical  direction 
are  cut  down  and  forced  to  de- 
velop laterals.  This  continu- 
ous pruning  back  has  a  ten- 
dency to  produce  a  dense  mass 
of  branches  and  foliage,  and  as 
the  tree  grows,  some  thinning 
out  is  necessary.  The  result 
obtained  by  following  out  this 
system  of  pruning  is  a  shapely 
broadened  out  tree,  liberally 
supplied  with  numerous  fruit- 
ing laterals  and  permitting  the 
gathering  of  the  greater  part 
of  the  fruit  without  the  use  of 
long  ladders. 

THE  POMELO 

Commonly  known  as  Grape 
Fruit.  There  is  considerable 
confusion  in  the  minds  of 
many  people  as  to  what  a 
Pomelo  really  is.  From  a  bo- 
tanical standpoint,  the  Shad- 
dock, Grape  Fruit  and  Pom- 
elo all  belong  to  the  same 
species. 

"Grape  Fruit,"  the  name 
usually  applied  to  this  fruit,  is 
really  a  misnomer,  but  it  has 
become  so  customary  to  desig- 
nate it  as  such,  it  is  not  very 
likely  that  the  proper  name 
will  be  used.  The  name 
undoubtedly  arose  from  the 
fact  of  the  fruit  being  borne 
in  clusters  of  from  three  to 
fifteen  fruits  in  a  bunch.  The 
Pomelo  is  really  an  improved 
Shaddock.  The  Shaddock,  ex- 
cept for  ornamental  purpose, 
is  of  no  practical  value,  for 
the  fruits  are  extremely  large, 
coarse,  and  are  lacking  in 
every  essential  necessary  to 
make  an  edible  fruit.  The 
Pomelo  is  much  sought  after 
for  its  medicinal  qualities,  and 
as  a  healthful  breakfast  relish 
it  excels  every  other  fruit. 

Its  popularity  is  constantly 
increasing,  and  the  demand 
for  it  far  exceeds  the  supply. 
The  most  popular  variety  in 
California  is  the  Marsh's  Seed- 
less. As  the  seeds  of  the  Pom- 
elo are  very  objectionable,  any 
new  varieties  which  are  orig- 
inated will  not 


.. receive    verv 

much    recognition    unless    they 

.,    ..  are   practically   without   seeds, 

tree   is   fully  as   hardy  as   the   orange,   and   the   instruc- 
ipns    for    pruning    the    orange    will    answer    admirably    for 
the     Pomelo.     Trees     should     not     be     planted     closer     than 
twenty-four   feet. 

THE    LIME 

Valuable  for  its  citric  acid,  which  is  extensively  used  in 
the  concoction  of  summer  drinks,  and  especially  palatable 
as  a  lemonade.  The  juice  is  also  used  in  medicine  and  in 
the  arts.  Its  export  from  the  West  Indies  constitutes  an 

30 


important  branch  of  commerce,  great  quantities  being 
exported  to  Europe  and  the  United  States.  Fancy  limes,  and 
especially  the  newer  seedless  sorts,  command  good  prices  in 
the  leading  markets  of  the  Western  States,  the  average  being 
from  $4  to  $6  per  box.  The  tree  is  more  tender  than  the 
orange,  hence  should  be  planted  only  in  the  sheltered  foot- 
hill regions  of  the  state.  Commercial  orchards  should  be 
planted  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  apart.  It  likes  a  moist 
soil,  and  in  California  a  lime  grove  should  be  liberally 
irrigated. 

The  tendency  to  form  a  dense  bushy  head  should  be  encour- 
aged by  following  somewhat  more  strenuously  the  instruc- 
tions given  for  pruning  the  orange. 

THE     CITRON 

The  tree  is  even  more  tender  than  the  lemon,  and  should 
therefore  be  planted  where  there  is  very  little  danger  from 
damage  by  frost.  The  fruit  is  prepared  for  use  by  immersing 
in  a  brine  for  several  months,  and  after  washing  it  is  placed 
in  a  hot  syrup,  remaining  for  three  weeks.  Later  it  is 
cooked  with  crystalized  sugar  dissolved  in  water,  being 
cooked  and  cooled  alternately  until  it  has  taken  in  sufficient 
sugar,  when  it  is  ready  for  the  market. 

The  tree  grows  very  much  like  the  lemon,  except  that  it 
if  of  more  dwarfish  habit.  Best  results  are  obtained  by 
training  the  tree  along  the  same  lines  as  recommended  for 
the  lemon.  THE  PERSIMMON 

In  this  country  there  are  but  two  varieties  in  cultivation, 
viz.,  the  American  and  Japanese.  The  latter,  on  account  of 


A  one  year 
orchard  grown 

Lemon  Tree 
properly  pruned 

for  the 
annual  production 

of  a 

good  crop  of 
Fancy  Fruit. 


Here  is  shown  the 
importance 

of  a 

sturdy  frame 

which  later  on 

will  carry  heavy 

crops 
without  props. 


31 


A  perfect 
Two  Year  Old 
Lemon  Tree. 

This  outline 
should  be 
preserved. 


their  attractive  appearance  and  larg-e  size,  are  destined  to 
be  extensively  planted  as  soon  as  their  commercial  import- 
ance is  more  appreciated.  The  impression  that  the  fruits 
m«?*  ?ex,°n  the  ver^e  of  decay  before  they  can  be  eaten  has 
militated  against  their  sale.  There  is  much  variation  in 
the  character  of  the  fruit.  Some  varieties  are  not  astringent 
at  all  and  are  edible  in  early  autunffl,  while  still  hard  and 
green.  Several  kinds  never  soften  at  all  till  they  decay 
others  are  edible  only  when  fully  ripe  and  soft;  still  others 
•lose  their  astringency  only  after  they  have  been  dried  and 
some  so  abound  in  tannin  that  their  juice,  when  expressed 
makes  a  valuable  varnish  for  preservation  of  all  kinds  of 
woodwork.  There  is  quite  a  distinction  between  the  dark 
and  light  fleshed  varieties.  The  former  invariably  contain 
seeds,  are  crisp  and  meaty,  and  are  edible  before  they  soften 
although  their  flavor  is  improved  considerably  when  they 
reach  this  stage;  the  light  fleshed  kinds  are  seedless  (or 
mostly  so),  and  cannot  be  eaten  until  they  soften. 

After  the  head  of  the  tree  is  established,  follow  the  same 
method  of  pruning  as  is  recommended  for  the  peach  trees 
for  the  first  three  seasons.  Very  little  cutting  is  necessary  in 
after  years,  except  to  shorten  in  branches  having  a  tendency 
to  shoot  far  upwards. 


An  ideal  lemon  tree  with  an  abundance  of  small  laterals,  well  dis- 
tributed from  the  ground  to  the  very  top  of  the  tree.  This  type  of 
a  tree  will  produce  quantity  as  well  as  quality  fruit. 

32 


THE     GRAPE 

The  geographical  distribution  of  the  grape  is  a  wide  one, 
and  includes  almost  all  countries  coming  within  the  tropical 
and  temperate  zones.  It  finds  its  most  vigorous  development 
in  the  warmer  sections  of  the  temperate  areas,  enjoying  its 
greatest  luxuriance  at  a  point  where  the  two  zones  meet,  if 
such  an  experssion  be  allowable. 

In  California,  and  especially  in  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  it 
finds  ideal  conditions,  and  in  Fresno  County,  the  raisin,  table 
and  wine  sort  constitute  our  leading  industry,  easily  leading 
all  others  in  money  value  and  commercial  importance. 

LAYING    OUT    A    VINEYARD 

First  establish  your  base  lines.  It  is  best  to  have  this 
done  with  a  transit,  particularly  if  there  are  no  established 
regular  subdivision  lines  to  work  from.  If  the  base  lines 
are  not  at  right  angles,  the  rows  will  not  be  straight,  and 
nothing  is  more  unsightly.  Add  to  this  the  difficulty  of 
plowing  and  cultivating,  and  the  advantages  of  straight  rows 
will  be  readily  understood.  For  planting,  use  a  steel  woven 
No.  19  galvanized  wire,  dividing  same  up  into  sections  as 
recommended  under  the  heading  "Methods  of  Planting"  on 
page  8. 

The  chain  in  general  use  by  vineyardists  is  made  of  No.  10 
galvanized  wire  with  three-inch  rings  at  each  end,  and  at 
equidistant  points  on  the  chain  a  piece  of  fine  wire  is  wrapped 
and  soldered  into  place.  It  is  necessary,  of  course,  to  change 
the  markers  to  other  points  for  planting  at  greater 
or  less  distances.  It  is  best  to  have  the  wire  the  width 
of  the  check,  the  last  link  coming  flush  with  the  stake 
indicating  the  roadway.  These  roads  should  be  at  intervals 
of  twenty-four  rows  for  a  wine  and  table  vineyard  and 
thirty  rows  for  a  raisin  vineyard.  Start  at  one  corner  of  the 
field  with  the  chain,  which  should  have  three-inch  rings  at 
each  end  for  inserting  the  iron  stakes,  which  should  be  made 
of  one-half  by  two-inch  iron,  two  and  one-half  feet  long  and 
drawn  down  to  a  point  at  one  end.  The  stakes  which  are  to 
be  used  as  markers  may  be  split  out  of  redwood,  or  any 
other  material  for  that  matter,  and  at  least  six  inches  of 
one  end  dipped  into  a  bucket  of  whitewash,  so  that  the  line 
of  the  base  rows  may  be  readily  seen. 

Having  set  the  stakes  along  the  outside  line  at  the  dis- 
tance apart  the  vines  are  to  be  planted,  start  at  the  same 
end  of  the  field  again  and  set  another  line  of  stakes  parallel 
with  the  first  line  and  the  length  of  the  chain  distant  from 
the  outside  line.  Proceed  in  this  manner  until  the  entire 
field  is  laid  out  in  checks.  With  this  preliminary  work  done, 
and  having  exercised  care  in  the  measurements  to  have  the 
base  lines  parallel  and  the  stakes  in  each  block  opposite 
each  other,  no  difficulty  will  be  experienced  when  planting 
commences  to  have  the  vines  line  up. 

DISTANCE    TO    PLANT 

This  always  gives  rise  to  much  discussion,  and  opinions 
vary  so  that  the  planter  is  often  In  a  quandary  as  to  what 
course  to  pursue.  The  prevailing  practice  is  to  plant  wine 
grapes  8x8  feet,  leaving  out  the  twenty-fifth  row  for  avenue. 
For  wine  and  table  grapes  the  avenues  should  not  be  farther 
apart  than  this.  As  it  is  necessary  to  carry  out  the  grapes 
in  lug-boxes  to  the  avenue,  the  pickers  (if  the  work  of  har- 
vesting is  done  by  contract)  demand  more  per  ton  for  the 
picking  than  where  the  checks  are  twenty-four  vines  wide. 
For  types  of  raisin  grapes  which  are  to  be  short  pruned 
and  headed  low,  and  where  the  drying  is  to  be  done  on  trays 
in  the  vineyard,  any  of  the  following  distances  are  satis- 
factory: 8x8,  7x10,  6x12  feet,  always  leaving  the  wide  rows 
east  and  west,  so  the  trays  shall  get  the  full  benefit  of  the 
sun's  rays.  In  this  case  the  checks  may  be  thirty  rows 
wide.  For  staked  vines  of  raisin  grapes,  where  the  drying 
Is  to  be  carried  on  in  the  vineyard,  6x12  feet  is  undoubtedly 
the  most  economical  distance  to  plant,  as  picking  is  much 
facilitated,  the  trays  get  the  full  benefit  of  the  sun,  and  the 
raisins  cure  quickly,  which  is  not  the  case  where  vines  art 
closer  together.  Table  grapes  should  not  be  planted  closer 
than  8x10  feet,  with  the  wide  rows  north  and  south.  The 
grapes  then  have  more  exposure  to  the  sun  and  mature  more 
uniformly.  This  rule  applies  more  particularly  to  the  varie- 
ties which  ripen  rather  late,  like  Cornichon,  Emperor.  Gros 
Colman,  Black  Morocco,  etc. 

PREPARING    FOR    PLANTING 

All  rootlets,  excepting  those  starting  from  the 
base  of  the  vines,  should  be  cut  off.  Next  shorten 
in  all  the  roots  radiating  from  the  base  of  the 
cutting  from  two  to  three  inches. 

Then  prune  the  top  of  the  vine,  leaving 
only  one  spur  with  from  one  to  three  buds. 
The  vines  should  be  pruned  a  day  or  so  in  ad- 
vance of  the  planting,  and  the  work  should 

33 


One -Year- Old 

nursery 

grown 

Grape  Vine. 

The  figure  at 

the  left 
indicates  the 

method  of 

pruning  roots 

and  top 

before 

planting. 


A 


be  entrusted  to  careful  men.  As  soon  as  pruned,  the  vines 
should  be  heeled  in  and  the  soil  either  wet  or  tamped  down 
to  prevent  the  roots  from  drying-  out.  The  heeling-in  ground 
should  be  centrally  located,  so  that  it  will  not  be  necessary 
to  carry  the  vines  too  long  a  distance  to  the  planters. 

HOW     TO    PLANT 

Each  man  should  be  provided  with  a  bucket  or  five-gallon 
coal-oil  can.  A  small  quantity  of  water  in  the  bottom  will 
keep  the  roots  moist.  Each  bucket  should  be  filled  with 
vines,  and  replenished  from  time  to  time  with  vines  as  they 
are  needed  by  the  planters. 

The  planting-  wire  should  be  stretched  across  the  first 
check  to  two  stakes  which  should  be  directly  opposite  to  each 
other.  Each  planter  should  have  charge  of  two  marks  on 
the  wire.  As  an  illustration,  figure  on  a  basis  of  planting 

e  vines  eight  feet  apart  each  way  and  leaving-  out  every 
thirty-first  vine  for  an  avenue.  It  would  be  necessary  to 
have  a  chain  250  feet  long-  over  all,  including-  a  two-foot  "link 
each  end  for  the  ring  and  to  permit  drawing  the  chain 
.aut.  To  such  a  chain  it  would  be  nceesasry  to  have  seven- 
teen men,  two  to  stretch  the  chain  across  the  field  between 
the  two  stakes  set  opposite  each  other  in  the  check  and 
fifteen  to  do  the  planting.  The  marks  eight  feet  apart  in 
the  chain  indicate  where  the  vines  are  to  be  set.  In  planting 
the  vine  should  be  set  so  that  the  collar  will  be  level  with 
the  top  of  the  ground  when  it  is  settled,  except  with  grafted 
Vin!^'  ™hich  win  be  referred  to  later.  The  soil  in  the  bottom 
of  the  hole  should  be  loosened  up,  and  that  used  to  fill  in 
should  be  top  soil,  the  first  few  shovels  of  which  should  be 
well  tramped  in,  the  top  being  left  loose.  Having  set  this 
line  of  vines,  the  chain  is  carried  to  the  next  two  line  stakes 
and  so  on  until  the  check  is  planted.  Within  two  weeks 
after  planting  the  earth  should  be  settled  around  the  vines 
either  by  hauling  water  to  them  or  by  irrigating,  running 
the  water  in  furrows  along  each  row.  This  is  important  for 
even  with  a  good  field  boss  over  a  crew  of  men,  some  of 

34 


them  will  be  careless,  fail  to  tramp  the  soil  around  the  roots, 
and  unless  a  timely  and  heavy  rain  should  cause  the  soil  to 
settle,  the  vines  will  dry  out  and  die. 

CARE    AND    PRUNING   THE    VINE 

Specific  rules  for  cultivation  and  irrigation  cannot  be  laid 
down,  for  this  work  is  dependent  on  soil  conditions,  water, 
rainfall,  etc.  It  goes  without  saying  that  thorough  culti- 
vation and  careful  attention  to  keep  the  vines  in  an  active 
state  of  growth  during  the  growing  season  will  be  amply 
repaid  when  the  vineyard  reaches  its  bearing  age.  Far 
better  for  the  vines  if  they  do  not  produce  any  grapes  until 
they  reach  the  third  year. 


Crowned  to 

the  proper 

height  in  the 

second  year. 


Trained  to  a  single  cane, 
the  first  year  planting, 
and  cut  back  12  inches.    ' 


The  training  of  the  vine  should  be  given  careful  attention 
the  first  year  of  its  growth.  In  order  that  the  plant  may  not 
form  a  head  close  to  the  top  of  the  ground  a  short  stake 
allowing  it  to  be  a  foot  above  the  ground  should  be  driven 
beside  each  vine.  These  stakes  should  be  aboul  one  and 
one-half  inches  square  and  two  feet  long.  In  July,  before 
the  growth  of  the  canes  has  become  lignified,  they  should 
be  tied  with  three  or  four  ply  baling  rope  to  the  stake,  and 
about  one-third  of  the  top  growth  cut  off.  This  shortening 
in  of  the  canes  causes  them  to  become  stocky,  and  as  a  result 
of  the  tying  up  there  are  a  number  of  straight  shoots,  the 
strongest  of  which  may  be  selected  the  following  winter, 


This  three-year-old  is 

not  only  self- 
supporting,  but  it  also 
has  a  fine  crown  with 

four  healthy 

branches  and  spurs. 

An  ideal  vine. 


35 


the  others  being  removed,  to  form  the  head  of 
the  vines.  This  cane  is  cut  back  to  twelve 
inches,  all  lateral  branches  being  cut  away.  This 
single  cane  is  carefully  tied  up  to  the  stake.  The 
head  should  be  formed  from  eight  to  ten  Inches 
from  the  top  of  the  ground.  The  second  year 
from  two  to  three  spurs  with  four  eyes  are  left 
to  form  the  head  of  the  vine.  The  third  season 
the  vines  will  have  become  stocky  enough  to  be  self-support- 
ing, and  the  short  stakes  may  be  removed  if  this  is  found 
to  be  the  case.  In  the  event  that  the  vines  are  to  be  short 
pruned,  four  spurs  should  be  allowed  to  remain  with  four 
eyes  on  the  current  season's  growth.  In  later  years  a  few 
more  spurs  are  left  each  year  on  the  original  spurs  forming 
the  head,  the  number  being  largely  a  matter  of  judgment 
on  the  part  of  the  pruner. 

If  the  vines  are  of  a  class  requiring  long  stakes  and  to  be 
grown  with  canes,  it  is  far  better  to  defer  driving  these  long 
stakes  until  the  third  year,  so  that  the  head  of  the  vine  will 
be  fully  established.  Coast  redwood  stakes  are  the  most 
satisfactory. 

In  staked  vines  from  two  to  three  canes  are  taken  up  the 
third  year,  and  from  three  to  four  spurs  with  three  eyes 
properly  distributed  around  the  head  of  the  vine  are  allowed 
to  remain,  to  furnish  new  canes  in  succeeding  years.  These 
remarks  apply  particularly  to  the  Sultana  and  Thompson 
Seedless  varieties.  In  such  varieties  as  Emperor.  Flame 

Tokay  and  Cornichon,  it  is  cus- 
tomary to  take  up  from  two  to 
three  canes,  allowing  these  to 
remain  for  a  number  of  years, 
shortening  in  the  spurs  to 
three  eyes  each  season. 

In  tying  up  the  canes  do  not 
draw  them  up  close  to  the 
stake  in  the  middle,  but  let 
them  belly  out,  as  this  will 
cause  the  buds  to  push  out 
better  and  render  them  more 
fruitful.  A  great  saving  may 
be  made  in  tying  up  vines  hav- 
ing permanent  canes  like  the 
Emperor,  Flame  Tokay,  etc., 

~9Bi£  j     by   stripping   up   the   leaves   of 

•?HHKlV  >     *he    California    Fan    Palm 

(W  ashingtonia  filifera)  in 
place  of  rope.  These  strips  are 
not  only  very  strong,  but  are 
also  very  durable  and  cheap, 
particularly  where  the  leaves 
are  to  be  had  on  the  place 
on  -which  the  vineyard  is  lo- 
cated. The  leaves  should  be 
cut  about  two  weeks  before 
using  and  exposed  to  the 
weather  to  cure  before  tearing 
them  Into  strips.  The  number 
of  spurs  allowed  to  remain 
must  be  largely  a  matter  of 
judgment  on  the  part  of  the 
pruner,  depending  very  much 
on  the  growth  of  the  vine.  Al- 
ways maintain  some  spurs  at 
the  head  of  the  vine,  so  in  the 
event  it  is  found  necessary  to 
cut  out  the  old  canes,  new  ones 
will  be  available  to  replace 
them.  The  very  satisfactory  re- 
sults which  have  been  obtained 
in  recent  years  from  growing 
the  Thompson  Seedless  on  a 
trellis  will  no  doubt  cause  this 
method  to  be  followed.  Vine- 
yards of  this  variety  so  pruned 
rarely  fail  to  produce  a  good 
crop  under  ordinary  conditions. 
The  method  of  pruning  should 
be  the  same  as  has  been  pre- 
viously recommended  up  to  the 
third  year,  when,  instead  of 
Thompson  Seedless  vine  trained  tvin£  the  canes  to  a  stake,  they 
to  a  stake  in  its  third  year.  Note  ^ual^aTof  ^rocTduTe  wHh 
particularly  the  spurs  at  the  head  this  variety  is  to  drive  2x2-inch 
of  the  vines,  as  well  as  the  canes,  by  6-foot  stakes  to  each  vine 
which  are  well  distributed  and  and  string  two  wires  of  No.  12 
mi.  *v  ii  *  gauge,  one  32  inches  above  the 
tied  to  the  stake.  The  method  of  |ro*nd  and  the  other  48 

pruning  is  to  leave  one  spur  Jor   inches.     The     largest     poultry 
every  cane.  netting  staples  are  of  sufficient 

36 


Ten -Year- Old 
tiellised 
Thompson 
Seedless 
vineyard 

on  the 
Boeding  Place 


size  to  hold  the  wire  in  place,  or  bore  holes  in  the  posts  and 
pass  the  wire  through  them.  To  prevent  the  wire  from 
becoming  slack  the  end  stakes  at  each  row  in  a  check  are 
held  in  position  by  a  2x3-inch  brace  which  should  be  long 
enough  to  reach  from  the  top  of  the  outside  stake  to  the 


The  same 

vineyard 

pruned. 

This  method 

of  annual 

pruning 

promotes 

vigor,  heavy 

crops  and  an 

abundance 

of  new  wood 

for 
another  year. 


37 


A  Ten-year-old  Emperor 
vine  spur  pruned.  The  canes 
were  trained  up  when  the 
vine  was  three  years  old  and 
are  permanent.  The  annual 
growth  from  the  spurs  on 
these  canes,  which  are  re- 
gularly distributed,  are  cut 
back  to  three  eyes.  Care  is 
taken  to  maintain  the  spurs 
at  the  head  of  the  vine  about 
10  inches  from  the  ground, 
with  a  view  of  training  up 
new  canes,  and  cutting  off 
the  old  ones  should  they  lose 
their  vitality. 

Note  that  the  upper  tie  is 
rope,  and  the  lower  one  the 
palm  thong. 


base  of  the  stake  in  the  next  row.  This  brace  can  be  done 
away  with  by  using  a  3x3,  7-foot  outside  stake  and  slanting 
it.  The  canes  are  wound  around  the  wires  and  tied  in  place 
with  lath  yarn,  which  is  a  name  given  to  old  hauser  rope 
which  has  been  unraveled.  The  old  canes  are  cut  away  every 
winter  and  replaced  with  new  ones,  which  shoot  out  from  the 
spurs  at  the  head  of  the  vine.  This  method  makes  cultivation 
somewhat  more  expensive,  \as  it  only  permits  working  the 
rows  one  way,  so  that  the  centers  between  the  rows  must 
be  worked  out  with  a  hoe.  It  facilitates  picking,  and  also 
prevents  the  crowding  of  the  bunches,  with  the  additional 
advantage  of  increasing  the  product  of  varieties  inclined  to 
be  shy  bearers. 

RESISTANT    VINES 

The  ravages  of  the  phylloxera  in  the  grape  regions  of 
France  and  the  practical  extermination  of  the  French  vine- 
yards through  this  dreaded  pest  are  too  well  known  to  require 
repetition  here.  Today  France  is  producing,  more  wine 
than  she  did  in  her  palmiest  days,  prior  to  the  time  this 
pest  was  introduced.  This  wonderful  change  has  been 
brought  about  by  the  grafting  of  the  table,  raisin  and  wine 
varieties,  all  of  which  are  natives  of  Europe  belonging  to 
the  Vitis  vlnifera  class,  and  none  of  which,  no  matter  how 
strong  they  are,  but  will  finally  perish  when  attacked  by 
the  phylloxera. 

The  resistant  sorts  were  originally  wild  American  grapes, 
natives  of  the  Mississippi  Valley.  These  were  taken  in  hand 
by  the  French  viticulturists,  improved  by  hybridization  and 
selection,  until  today  a  large  number  of  sorts  adapted  to  a 
variety  of  soils  and  locations  have  come  into  general  use. 

The  destruction  of  vinifera  vines  is  due  to  the  roots  rotting 
whenever  the  insect  makes  a  puncture,  causing  the  vine  to 
perish  in  time.  In  the  roots  of  the  resistants,  although  sub- 
ject to  these  attacks,  the  punctures  do  not  extend  deeper 
than  the  bark  of  the  rootlets,  and  as  this  is  sloughed  off  each 
year,  the  roots  are  left  as  healthy  as  before.  The  grapes  of 
the  resistants  are  worthless;  they  simply  serve  as  a  stock 
for  the  more  valuable  foreign  varieties  of  wine,  table  and 
raisin  grapes,  all  of  which  succumb  to  the  "attacks  of  the 
phylloxera  on  their  own  roots.  The  cultural  directions 
already  given  for  planting  vines  on  their  own  roots  may  be 
applied  to  the  resistants  in  so  far  as  preparing  the  vines  for 
planting.  In  planting  the  rootin^s,  the  vines  should  be  set 
so  the  union  of  the  stock  is  at  i«-ast  an  inch  above  ground. 

38 


As  soon  as  the  vine  is  planted,  cover  it  with  soil,  leaving  only 
the  top  bud  exposed.  When  the  vines  have  a  good  strong 
growth,  clear  the  soil  away  from  them  and  cut  off  any  roots 
which  may  have  started  from  the  scion.  This  is  one  of  the 
important  points  in  bringing  a  resistant  vineyard  into  bear- 
ing, for  if  these  roots  are  not  cut  off  the  resistant  roots 
dwindle  away  and  the  vine  reverts  back  to  its  own  root. 
Suckers  starting  from  the  resistant  cutting  should  also  be 
removed. 

It  is  necessary  to  follow  up  this  root  pruning  for  at  least 
three  years  after  the  vineyard  is  planted,  for  the  scion  will 
invariably  start  out  new  roots  if  the  soil  from  plowing  gets 
banked  up  against  it.  In  later  years,  after  the  wood  of  the 
vine  becomes  well  hardened  up,  there  is  very  little  danger 
of  the  scion  making  roots.  The  same  recommendations  for 
training  and  pruning  vines  on  their  own  roots  may  be 
followed  with  grafted  vines. 

THE    SMALL,    FRUITS 

This  term  usually  applies  to  the  berry  family — Black- 
berries, Raspberries,  Currants,  Gooseberries,  Strawberries, 
etc.  The  whole  Pacific  Slope,  wherever  fruit  soils  and 
sufficient  moisture  prevail,  is  adapted  to  their  successful  cul- 
ture. In  California  there  is  almost  a  continuous  growth,  and 
intermittent  cropping  can  be  carried  on  almost  during  the 
entire  year.  Every  family  orchard  should  have  a  plot 
devoted  to  small  fruits,  and  where  the  conditions  are  favor- 
able and  near  to  markets  they  can  be  made  immensely  profit- 
able when  grown  along  commercial  lines. 

The  preparation  of  the  soil  should  be  thorough.  The  roots 
being  close  to  the  top  of  the  ground  and  of  a  small,  rather 
fibrous  nature,  the  importance  of  having  the  soil  in  the  very 
best  possible  condition  to  insure  a  good  stand  of  plants  and 
a  satisfactory  growth  must  be  apparent  to  anyone  engaging 
in  the  culture  of  berry  plants.  Thorough  dressing  with  well- 
rotted  stable  manure  will  do  much  to  promote  a  vigorous 
growth  the  first  season,  and  having  secured  this,  profitable 
crops  may  be  expected  the  second  year  after  planting. 

Berry  culture  cannot  be  successfully  carried  on  in  Cali- 
fornia without  irrigation,  so  that  before  planting  the  land 
should  be  graded,  having  the  grade  as  uniform  as  possible 
so  as  to  prevent  flooding.  A  berry  grower  should  be  abso- 
lutely certain  of  water  when  it  is  required,  and  if  there  is 
any  question  about  the  supply  from  ditches,  a  pumping  plant 
should  be  installed  to  have  water  available  whenever  it  is 
needed.  A  delay  of  even  a  few  days  may  mean  the  loss  of 
the  entire  crop. 

The  Logan  and  Mammoth  Blackberries  are  practically  in 
a  class  by  themselves,  and  the  cultural  directions  for  one 
apply  to  the  other,  we  will  consider  them  under  the  same 
head.  They  should  be  planted  in  rows  six  feet  apart  and 
eight  feet  between  the  rows.  The  best  results  are  obtained 
by  trellising  the  runners  to  wires  on  heavy  posts  which  will 
hold  the  wire  taut.  As  soon  as  the  fruiting  season  is  past  the 
fruiting  canes  should  be  cut  away  and  the  new  canes  be 
bunched  together  and  wound  around  the  wire.  At  least  two 
wires  should  be  strung  on  the  posts,  so  that  as  soon  as  one 
•wire  is  covered  the  remaining,  canes  may  be  wound  around 
the  other.  By  following  this  method  from  year  to  year  a 
heavy  crop  of  large,  fine  berries  may  be  looked  for  annually. 

A  novel  method  of  handling  them  is  to  plant  in  squares 
8x8  feet.  Drive  three  stakes  one  and  one-half  feet  into  the 
ground,  using  2x2,  6-foot  posts.  Nail  an  old  barrel  hoop  on 
the  top  of  the  posts,  and  another  two  feet  from  the  top. 
The  shoots  are  trained  over  these  hoops.  It  is  simply  aston- 
ishing the  amount  of  fruit  which  will  be  obtained  by  this 
method  of  handling.  Another  satisfactory  plan  is  to  set  4x6, 
7-foot  posts  twenty  feet  apart  and  nail  2x2,  18-inch  cross 
ties  to  each  post.  Set  the  posts  three  feet  in  the  ground  and 
string  No.  12  galvanized  wire  on  the  cross  ties,  holding  it  in 
place  with  staples.  The  new  shoots  should  be  trained  across, 
winding  them  around  the  wires  from  one  wire  to  the  other. 

THE  BLACKBERRY  AND  RASPBERRY 

The  most  satisfactory  way  of  handling  blackberries  is  to- 
plant  in  rows  four  feet  apart,  with  eight  feet  between  the 
rows.  The  first  season  all  the  shoots  which  have  attained 
a  height  of  two  feet  should  be  shortened  in  to  twenty  inches. 
This  will  cause  them  to  send  out  many  lateral  shoots,  sf* 
that  instead  of  having  the  fruiting  shoots  confined  to  a  few 
canes,  there  will  be  a  number  of  lateral  shoots  from  each  of 
the  main  canes  for  producing  fruit  clusters.  These  laterals 
should  have  one-half  of  their  growth  cut  off  in  the  winter 
months^  In  the  second  year,  as  soon  W  the  season's  crop  has 
been  harvested,  cut  away  the  fruiting  wood,  so  that  all  the 
energy  of  the  plant  will  be  forced  into  the  new 
growth.  The  young  shoots  should  again  be  cut 
back  at  the  proper  height  to  develop  laterals, 
and  these,  as  has  already  been  directed,  should 
be  cut  back  in  the  winter  months.  This  method 
of  pruning  has  other  advantages  by  making  the 
canes  sturdy  and  self-supporting,  and  causes  the 
fruit  to  be  distributed  over  the  entire  plant  in- 
stead of  being  confined  to  the  terminal  growth. 

39 


By  having  the  rows  eight  feet  apart,  cultiva- 
tion can  be  carried  on  with  a  horse,  a  very  im- 
portant point.  A  good  supply  of  water,  thorough 
cultivation  and  liberal  applications  of  rotted 
barnyard  manure  are  important  factors  in  the 
cultivation  of  the  blackberry. 

THE  DEWBERRY 

The  improved  varieties  of  Dewberry  or  trailing  blackberry 
are  very  popular.  They  are  enormous  croppers,  produce 
fruit  of  the  very  best  quality,  which  ripens  fully  two  weeks 
earlier  than  any  of  the  blackberries.  Plants  should  be  set 
four  feet  apart,  with  rows  six  feet  apart.  When  there  is  not 
sufficient  rainfall  to  keep  the  vines  in  active  growing  condi- 
tion, irrigation  should  oe  practiced.  Immediately  following 
the  harvesting,  all  the  old  canes  should  be  cut  off,  and  the 
following  spring  the  new  ones  should  be  trained  to  a  wire 
two  feet  from  the  ground.  The  method  of  trellising  is  the 
same  as  for  the  other  varieties  of  trailing  vines,  except  that 
the  canes  are  trained  within  two  feet  of  the  ground. 

THE    CURRANT    AND    GOOSEBERRY 

Currants  are  usually  planted  in  rows  four  to  five  feet  apart; 
the  plants  standing  two  to  three  feet  apart  in  the  rows. 
They  will  not  thrive  in  the  hot  interior  valleys,  being  subject 
to  sunburn.  It  is  only  practical  to  grow  them  in  the  coast 
counties,  and  they  attain  perfection  when  they  get  the  benefit 
of  the  cool,  moist  air  from  the  ocean  . 

Prune  in  winter,  thinning  out  the  new  shoots  when  they 
are  too  thick,  and  remove  the  old  unfruitful  wood.  Thorough 
cultivation,  but  not  deep,  is  at  all  times  advisable. 

THE    STRAWBERRY 

Adapts  itself  to  a  wide  range  of  soils  and  climates,  and 
in  this  respect  it  differs  from  the  other  members  of  the  berry 
family. 

Strawberries  bear  almost  the  entire  year  in  several  of  the 
coast  counties,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  plants  in  the 
interior  valleys,  where  they  are  properly  mulched  and  irri- 
gated. In  laying  off  ground  for  strawberries,  the  first  essen- 
tial point  is  to  grade  the  plot  so  it  has  a  gradual  fall,  so 
that  no  part  of  the  rows  will  become  submerged  in  irrigating. 
There  are  a  number  of  methods  for  laying  out  strawberry 
beds,  but  the  one  mostly  followed  by  commercial  growers  is 
to  plant  in  rows,  hilled  up  and  about  two  feet  apart,  with  a 
ditch  between  for  irrigating.  Set  the  plants  eighteen  inches 
apart  in  the  rows.  The  best  time  to  set  the  plants  is  late 
in  the  fall  after  a  heavy  rain  or  any  time  in  January  or 
February.  It  is  very  important  during  the  fruiting  season 
to  keep  the  plants  in  an  active  state  of  growth  by  irrigating 
weeding  and  cultivating.  In  order  to  obtain  large,  highly 
flavored  fruit,  pinch  off  the  runners  as  fast  as  they  appear, 
and  this  will  cause  the  plants  to  stock  out  as  it  were,  on 
which  the  very  finest  strawberries  may  be  expected  the 
following  season. 

THE     ORNAMENTALS 

No  country  in  the  world  offers  better  natural  advantages 
for  the  growing  of  ornamental  trees  and  shrubs  than  Cali- 
fornia. With  a  variety  of  climates  embraced  in  a  limited 
area  from  the  torrid  heat  of  the  Colorado  Desert  to  the 
balmy  and  equable  climate  of  the  southern  coast  counties, 
thence  extending  to  the  far  northern  counties,  with  their 
abundant  supply  of  rainfall  during  the  winter  months,  and 
where  the  temperature  rarely  goes  above  70  degrees  F.,  con- 
ditions prevail  in  which  nearly  every  variety  of  tree  or  plant 
from  the  temperate,  subtropical  and  tropical  zones  finds 
surroundings  and  soils  conducive  to  successful  culture. 

California  people  are  lovers  of  trees  and  are  becoming 
impressed  with  the  advantages  which  nature  has  bestowed 
upon  them  so  bountifully,  hence  there  is  a  steady  and  an  in- 
creasing demand  for  the  very  best  that  can  be  obtained 
in  ornamental  stock. 

LAYING  OUT  GROUNDS 

If  there  is  any  one  thing  which  adds  to  the  beauty  of  a 
home,  be  it  in  the  country  or  the  city,  it  is  attractive 
grounds.  No  farm  can  afford  to  be  without  a  few  trees 
and  shrubs  around  the  house,  and  it  seems  strange  indeed 
that  ornamental  planting  is  not  more  observed  by  those 
who  wish  to  make  life  in  the  country  worth  while.  Money 
expended  in  this  dire^ion  is  well  invested,  not  only  from 
the  fact  of  its  creating  pleasant  surroundings,  but  because 
the  beautifying  of  a  place  enhances  its  value  and  renders 
it  salable  often  at  a  handsome  advance.  Money  cannot 
buy  the  satisfaction  which  one  derives  from  the  realiza- 
tion of  watching  the  growth  and  development  of  ornamen- 
tal vegetation. 

A  grave  mistake  made  by  many  people  is  to  plant  hap- 
hazard without  any  prescribed  plan,  with  the  result  that 
when  the  plants  reach  maturity,  they  appear  to  be  out  of 

40 


place  simply  because  they  were  not  planted  in  a  suitable 
environment  to  begin  with.  It  is  an  easy  matter  to  draw 
a  rough  sketch  to  a  scale  for  modest  grounds.  Instances 
have  come  under  our  observation  where  thousands  of  dol- 
lars have  been  expended  in  an  attempt  to  beautify  extensive 
grounds,  which,  when  acquiring  age,  possessed  nothing  to 
commend  them  to  one's  sense  of  the  beautiful  in 
plant  life,  simply  because  th-e  planting  had  been  dons 
without  a  defined  plan.  Many  handsome  specimens,  not 
being  in  harmony,  are  sadly  out  of  place.  It  is  not  so 
much  the  plants  themselves  which  add  to  the  beauty  and 
picturesqueness  of  a  garden,  as  it  is  the  grouping  of 
them  to  obtain  results.  In  order  to  secure  this,  a  land- 
scape gardener  pictures  in  his  mind  the  effect  of  his  groups 
many  years  in  the  future,  and  his  plans  are  drawn  accord- 
ingly. Imitate  nature,  avoid  having  small  beds  of  nar- 
row •walks  with  not  enough  of  any  one  thing  to  bring  out 
pleasing  effects.  Have  a  few  open  spaces  planted  to  grass 
and  obstruct  the  views  of  undesirable  objects  with  tall 
growing  shrubs  and  trees. 

It  will  repay  the  intending  home-maker  who  proposes 
to  plant  extensive  grounds  to  engage  a  competent  landscapist 
to  draw  the  plans  and  select  the  plants.  It  is  just  as 
important  to  do  this  as  to  have  an  architect  to  design  your 
house. 

One  of  the  decided  advantages  of  working  from  a  plan 
from  the  beginning  is  that  the  main  features  and  details 
can  be  carried  out  in  a  single  year,  or  may  extend  over  a 
period  of  years  with  the  prospect  of  eventually  having  a 
picture  which  will  always  prove  a  source  of  pleasure,  en- 
hancing in  value  every  year  as  the  trees,  shrubs  and 
smaller  plants,  with  a  little  training  here  and  there,  com- 
bine to  bring  about  both  color  and  harmony. 

Have  the  full  grown  tree,  shrub  or  plant  in  your  mind's 
eye  as  you  plan  for  the  young  slender  stocks  from  the  nur- 
sery or  from  the  plant  bed.  Street  and  lawn  trees  often 
stand  so  close  that  if  one-half  or  two-thirds  of  their  number 
were  removed,  the  distance  would  be  right  for  those  re- 
maining. Crowded  trees  will  never  develop  into  striking 


A  Locust  Tree  when 
taken  from  the  nursery 
rows. 


Many  deciduous  orna- 
mental trees  are  even 
taller  than  this,  and 
must  be  cut  back.  Less 
admiration  for  the  tops 
of  trees  by  shortening  in 
both  leaders  and  later- 
als, is  what  counts  in 
causing  a  vigorous  de- 
velopment the  first  sea- 
son after  planting. 


41 


Method  of  pruning  this  and 
other  trees  of  a  similar  char- 
acter. Do  not  fail  also  to  root 
prune.  Do  not  allow  any  bran- 
ches to  grow  below  the  point 
where  the  man's  hand  rests  on 
the  tree.  The  following  winter 
after  planting,  thin  out  limbs, 
allowing  no  more  than  five  to 
remain.  Two- thirds  of  their 
growth  should  be  cut  away.  The 
second  winter,  thin  the  laterals 
on  the  frame  work,  leaving  two 
cut  back  severely.  The  third 
winter  the  tree  will  assume  a 
a  symmetrical  head;  cut  out 
and  thin  for  several  years ;  and 
as  it  grows  older  cut  out  strag- 
gling branches  entirely,  and  

where  head  becomes  dense,  thin 

specimens.  A  stately  tree  monarch  that  has  been  allowed  to 
develop  unhindered  by  other  trees  is  worth  a  dozen  crowded 
together. 

The  fault  of  crowding  is  very  common  and  leads  to  bad 
results  in  the  culture  of  shrubs,  vines  and  plants.  In 
cases  where  it  is  desired  to  secure  massive  effects,  close 
planting  is  advisable  with  a  view  of  thinning  out  whenever 
there  is  a  tendency  to  overcrowding. 

WHEN    TO    PLANT 

All  varieties  of  deciduous  trees  should  be  planted  in  the 
dormant  season  from  January  to  April,  just  as  soon  as  suf- 
ficient rain  has  fallen  to  soften  up  the  ground  so  that 
large  enough  holes  can  be  dug  to  receive  the  roots  readily. 
Evergreens  transplant  best  from  February  to  May,  and 
in  localities  where  there  are  no  great  extremes  of  heat  dur- 
ing the  summer  months,  planting  may  be  done  as  late  as 
July.  Palms  can  be  safely  transplanted  from  September 
until  June  of  the  following  year,  but  to  successfully  grow 
them  during  the  winter  months,  they  should  never  be  dug 
fresh  out  of  the  ground  from  December  to  February,  as 
they  are  dormant  at  that  season  of  the  year  and  will  in- 
variably "go  back."  We  dig  palms  in  the  fall  of  the  year 
and  store  them  in  our  palm  house.  By  handling  them  in  this 
manner  they  can  be  safely  transplanted  during  the  months 
of  inactivity. 

HOW    TO     PLANT     DECIDUOUS     TREES 

No  matter  how  carefully  a  deciduous  tree  Is  taken  up, 
there  are  always  some  roots  which  will  be  bruised  or 
broken,  and  these  should  be  cut  off  to  smooth  sound  wood. 
All  other  roots  should  have  a  fresh  cut  made  on  them  and 
shortened  in  so  they  will  fit  into  the  holes  readily  without 
doubling  up.  Before  planting  the  ground  should  be  thor- 
oughly plowed  or  spaded,  and  the  holes  should  be  dug  suf- 
ficiently large  to  accommodate  the  roots  without  cramping. 
Far  better  to  dig  the  holes  too  large  and  fill  in  with  sur- 
face soil  than  to  err  by  having  them  too  small.  It  is  a 
safe  rule  to  set  the  trees  a  few  inches  deeper  than  they 
stood  in  the  nursery  rows. 

Don't  try  to  preserve  the  top  of  a  tree  If  you  -want  your 
solicitous  care  rewarded  by  having  your  trees  make  a 
phenomenal  growth.  Don't  be  persuaded  that  pruning  will 
spoil  the  tree.  To  secure  a  well  balanced,  vigorous  tree 
prune  both  the  top  and  root.  To  plant  for  success,  look 
most  to  the  root.  A  good  proportion  of  roots  and  the  top 
can  be  made  whatever  you  choose.  Trees  twelve  to  fifteen 
feet  high  should  be  cut  back  to  eight  feet  and  all  small 
shoots  should  be  cut  outi  clean  except  those  intended  for  the 
frame  work  of  the  tree,  and  these  should  be  cut  back  to  at 
least  six  inches.  These  branches  will  eventually  make  the 
head  of  the  tree.  If  all  were  left  there  would  not  be 
enough  sap  to  develop  such  as  would  start  into  anything 
but  weak  twigs. 

Older  trees  should  be  cut  back  more  in  proportion  than 
younger  ones;  those  having  few  roots  more  than  those 
having  many. 

42 


DECIDUOUS     SHRUBS 

Prune  the  top  back  at  least  one-half  and  shorten  in  all 
the  roots  and  be  sure  to  cut  out  all  bruised  roots  entirely. 

The  earth,  around  the  trees  and  shrubs  should  be  well 
tramped.  Leave  a  basin  after  setting-  to  hold  not  less  than 


Tea's  Weeping  Mul- 
berry showing  growth  in 
in  the  nursery  rows. 


fifteen  gallons  of  water.  The  following-  day  draw  loose  soil 
around  the  tree,  filling  up  the  basin.  Subsequent  applications 
of  water  will  be  necessary  during  the  growing  season,  but 
if  the  rains  are  plentiful,  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  apply 
water.  Always  hoe  around  the  tree  or  shrub  after  each 
irrigation  as  this  will  help  to  not  only  keep  the  soil  in  a 
friable  condition,  but  to  retain  moisture. 


Same  specimen  with 
head  pruned  back.  This 
method  of  cutting  causes 
trees  of  this  nature  to 
grow  vigorously.  Syste- 
matic pruning  makes  it 
unnecessary  to  support 
the  branches  of  weeping 
trees  with  a  frame  work. 
Shortening  in  limbs  to 
an  upper  bud  will  secure 
the  desired  result.  When 
pruning  has  been  carried 
on  regularly  every  year, 
the  tree  will  be  symmet- 
rical and  self-supporting 


43 


Very  few 

balled 

evergreen 

_trees  would 

faii;to*grow  if 

they  were 

pruned  like 

this 

Monterey 
Cypress. 


EVERGREENS      AND     PAL.MS 

These  are  invariably  taken  up  with  a  ball  of  earth  and 
should  be  handled  with  care  so  as  not  to  break  the  ball. 
In  planting  the  rope  used  in  tying  the  sacking  to  the  ball, 
should  be  cut,  but  the  sack  can  remain  or  be  allowed  to 
drop  to  the  bottom  of  the  hole.  It  is  of  the  utmost  import- 
tance  to  retain  moisture  in  the  ball  of  earth  and  frequent 
watering  is  necessary. 

The  earth  should  be  well  tramped  around  the  ball  of 
earth,  but  care  should  be  exercised  not  to  break  it.  The 
idea  of  balling  is  to  preserve  the  fibrous  root  system  undis- 
turbed, with  the  view  of  feeding  the  tree  until  the  larger 
roots  take  hold. 

It  is  very  Important  to  prune  the  side  branches  of  ever- 
green trees  and  cut  back  the  top,  particularly  if  the  tree 
is  out  of  balance.  Never  prune  the  branches  several  feet 
up  from  the  bottom,  as  this  exposes  the  stem  and  destroys 
the  symmetry  of  the  tree.  Anyone  arguing  that  the  cutting 
back  of  the  leader  in  an  evergreen  tree  prevents  a  new  one 
from  starting  is  simply  lacking  in  practical  experience.  No 
evergreen  will  respond  with  a  vigorous  new  growth,  if  the 
root  system,  two-thirds  of  which  is  cut  away  in  digging, 
is  compelled  to  retain  the  vitality  of  the  original  tree  as 
it  stood  in  nursery  rows.  Trees  established  in  boxes  will 
make  immediate  effects  and  need  not  be  trimmed.  Nothing 
has  a  stronger  tendency  to  promote  rapid  and  a  vigorous 
growth  in  palms  taken  up  with  a  ball  of  earth  than  the  cut- 
ting off  of  all  the  leaves,  except  the  center  shoot.  When 
established  in  boxes,  it  is  not  necessary  to  adopt  such  severe 
treatment. 

EVERGREEN       SHRUBS 

Round  them  into  shape.  If  branches  are  long  and  spind- 
ling, very  severe  cutting  back  should  be  followed  to  pro- 
mote a  compactness  of  growth.  We  want  to  reiterate  again 
that  pruning  and  liberal  application  of  water  are  the  two 
leading  factors  to  success.  In  our  arid  climate,  anything 
that  will  have  a  tendency  to  retard  excessive  evaporation 
through  the  foliage  until  the  root  system  has  recovered 
from  the  shock  of  being  taken  up,  is  one  point  which  should 
never  be  overlooked  in  transplanting  evergreens. 
THE  ROSE 

Among  all  the  flowering  shrubs  that  grace  the  garden  or 
add  to  the  beauty  of  hall  or  conservatory,  none  can  com- 
pare to  the  rose.  Of  diverse  color  and  character  of  foliage, 
of  endless  design  and  color  of  blooms,  it  lends  itself  to  a 
wider  range  of  decoration  than  any  other  single  group  of 
plants,  being  equally  desirable  as  pot  plants,  for  garden 

44 


culture,  and  for  cut  flowers.  When  to  these  qualifications  are 
added  ease  of  culture  and  quick  and  ample  responses  in 
flowers,  it  is  explained  why  the  rose  has  been  aptly  termed 
"The  Queen  of  Flowers."  In  our  collection  of  flowering-  and 
ornamental  shrubs,  it  occupies  first  place;  hence  we  have  been 
careful  to  always  have  on  hand  a  large  stock  of  only  the  most 
vigorous  plants,  and  only  those  sorts  producing  freely 


A  specimen  plant  of  Thuyopsis 
Borealis  in  one  of  our  attractive 
cement  tubs. 

The  failure  of  pot  plants  indoors 
or  on  porches  is  due  to  excessive 
watering.  It  is  not  necessary  to 
have  plants  soaked  to  keep  them 
growing.  When  soil  is  dry  water- 
ing should  be  thorough.  Fill  the 
pot  full,  and  repeat  several  times, 
and  do  not  water  again  for  a  week, 
particularly  in  winter;  more  fre- 
quent waterings  are  necessary  in 
summer.  It  is  excess  of  water, 
(keeping  soil  water  logged)  which 
causes  plants  to  turn  yellow  or  die. 


nn?  £.0  posses81.nS  good  substance  and  strikingly  Indi- 
ual characteristics.  All  our  roses  are  field  grown  thus 
insuring  plants  of  strong  constitution  and  robust  growth 
fnTtn^r/'T^T6,  brn  exPres«ed  to  budded  ros?s ,^w- 
mg  to  the  fact  that  plants  are  apt  to  sucker.  This  is  readily 
overcome  by  setting  the  junction  of  the  bud  with  the  stock 
U?d*tr-  SrounA.  If  planters  will  observe  to  do  this  i 
of  this  difficulty  will  be  removed.  These  shoots  or  suckers 


Myrtus 

Communis 

(Evergreen 

Myrtle) 

nursery 

grown. 


Pruned  back  like  this  Myrtus 
Communis  is  sure  to  grow ;  fail- 
ure to  do  so  means  the  loss  of 
the  plant  in  many  cases,  or  at 
best  a  weak  and  sickly  growth. 


are  easily  distinguished  by  their  rampant  growth  and  thorny 
and  coarse  like  appearance.  They  should  be  cut  off  as  fast 
as  they  appear  close  to  the  body  of  the  plant.  Budded  roses 
grow  far  more  vigorously  than  those  on  their  own  roots 
and  are  longer  lived,  so  that  the  slight  additional  expense 
incurred  to  begin  with,  is  more  than  compensated  for  in  hav- 
ing superior  plants. 


A  rose  bush 
as  taken 
from  the 
nursery, 


Plant  to  the  right  thinned  and  with  main  branches 
shortened  in  to  8  inches.  To  make  you  proud  of  your 
garden,  prune  like  this.  Set  plants  so  that  the  soil 
will  come  flush  with  the  branches  at  the  point  where 
they  diverge.  It  is  important  that  budded  roses  have 
the  bud  at  least  two  to  three  inches  below  the  surface 
of  the  ground. 


PLANTING 

The  best  season  of  the  year  for  planting  roses  is  from 
December  1  to  March  15,  with  the  recommendation  in 
favor  of  early  planting.  In  planting,  the  same  care  should 
be  observed  as  with  any  other  tree  or  plant,  the  ground 

46 


should  be  spaded  thorouigMy,  ani  if  any  well  rotted  man- 
ure is  available,  it  shoalu  tf  W>T  ked  into  the  soil.  Dig 
the  hole  large  enough  to  receive  the  roots.  Prune  the  top, 
cutting  back  the  branches  at  least;  two-thirds  and  thin  out 
more  than  three  to  Torm  the  head-.'  The.'  roots  should  also 
be  cut  back  one-half,  and  ft)  I .  brr'isecl  ro^ts  removed.  After 
planting  settle  the  soil  around  the  plant  by  watering  freely. 

PRUNING 

No  definite  rule  can  be  laid  down  for  pruning  roses 
except  that  Tea,s  and  their  allied  families  do  not  require 
as  severe  pruning  os  the  Hybrid  Perpetuals  and  others 
of  equally  as  vigorous  growth.  There  is  one  fast  rule, 
however,  on  the  Pacific  Coast  and  that  is  never  to  allow 
roses  to  go  unpruned.  The  best  time  is  from  December 
15  to  March  1.  The  first  winter  after  planting,  thin  to 
three  main  shoots  and  cut  these  back  at  least  two-thirds. 
In  after  years  with  the  frame  work  branches  established, 
the  laterals  should  be  thinned  out  to  prevent  overcrowd- 
ing, and  those  allowed  to  remain  should  be  cut  to  spurs 
of  about  four  buds  each.  If  this  method  is  followed  regu- 
larly each  season,  a  properly  pruned  plant  will  have  the 
shape  of  a  deer's  antlers.  With  climbers  the  frame  work 
branches  should  be  trained  up  against  the  wall  in  the  shape 
of  a  fan,  not  leaving  more  than  three  to  four  and  these 
should  be  cut  back  severely  the  first  two  seasons  to  pro- 
mote vigor  and  sturdiness  of  growth.  In  after  years 
shorten  in  the  laterals  and  thin  out  sufficiently  to  prevent 
overcrowding,  otherwise  the  plant  will  be  a  mass  of  dead 
wood  and  twisted  branches  and  its  vigor  will  become  seri- 
ously impaired. 

When  the  roses  ha've  stopped  blooming  in  the  early 
summer,  the  faded  buds  should  be  cut  and  the  plants 
should  be  given  a  light  pruning,  or  more  correctly  a  pinch- 
ing back,  which  will  have  the  effect  of  making  them  respond 
with  a  bounteous  bloom  in  the  summer  and  fall. 

STANDARD   ROSES 

Commonly  known  as  Tree  Roses,  are  budded  on  a  vig- 
orous Manetti  rose  stock  3  feet  from  the  ground.  They 
are  very  effective  and  if  the  head  is  shortened  in  and 
thinned  out  the  plant  becomes,  very  symmetrical  and  re- 
sponds with  a  wealth  of  bloom  which  is  surprising.  The 
first  two  seasons,  wrap  the  stem  with  paper  or  burlap  to 
prevent  the  sunburn  and  cut  away  all  suckers  appearing  be- 
low the  crown.  DISTANCE  TO  PLANT 

Set  bush  roses  2  to  2y2  feet  apart;  standards  4  to  6  feet 
apart;  for  hedge  purposes  2  feet  apart  except  the  Poly- 
antha  types  which  are  more  dwarf  in  their  habits  and  per- 
mit of  being  more  closely  planted. 

STREET  AND  AVENUE  TREES. 

Owing  to  the  harsh  conditions  to  which  street  and  avenue, 
road  and  other  public  trees  are  often  subjected,  the  matter 
calls  for  special  treatment  and  careful  consideration  of  varie- 
ties for  prevailing  conditions  and  environment.  In  a  brief 
treatise  like  this,  reference  to  the  subject  must  necessarily 
be  short  and  possibly  in  some  instances  rather  incomplete. 
One  of  the  greatest  mistakes  in  the  planting  of  streets  in 
cities  and  towns  on  the  part  of  the  residents,  is  the  inclina- 
tion for  them  to  be  guided  entirely  by  their  own  views  as  to 
what  is  to  be  planted,  resulting  in  the  streets  having  a 
hodge-podge  appearance  which,  to  say  the  least,  never  im- 
proves, but  on  the  contrary,  the  older  the  tree  gets,  the  more 
ragged  they  become  and  more  unattractive  is  the  street. 


A  well  pruned  rose 
bush  with  its  bran- 
ches properly  dis- 
tributed to  promote 
not  only  a  vigorous 
development,  but  a 
profusion  of  flowers 
during  the  season. 


47 


Reference  has  already  been  made  in  these 
pages  to  tne  advisability  of  utilizing  along 
country  roads  s<oi;ie  of  the  fruit  and  nut  trees 
for  this  purpose.  Among  such  the  fig,  the  walnut, 
tl;f  clirsi.nut,  iho  piotachlo;.  and  the  pecan  among 
deciduous  trees  can  .be  reeommended,  especially 
along  wide  avenues  and  "boulevards.  Among  the 
evergreens,  the  olive,  the  carob,  the  loquat  and 
sour  orange.  Among  the  so-called  ornamentals  the  various 
varieties  of  eucalyptus,  the  acacias,  the  pepper,  the  oaks,  and 
of  the  conifers,  the  Aleppo  and  Canary  Island  pines.  Among 
the  deciduous  the  oriental  plane  or  sycamore,  the  silver 
maple,  the  Carolina  and  other  poplars  enjoy  favorable  con- 
sideration in  California. 


Known  as  a  Standard 
or  Tree  Rose. 


For  narrow  streets,  and  country  lanes,  the  fan-leaved 
palms,  dracaenas,  Lombardy  poplars,  Eucalyptus  creba,  gre- 
villeas  and  various  species  of  cypress. 

In  the  matter  of  planting,  we  advocate  that  the  holes  for 
the  young  trees  be  amply  large,  and  where  the  soil  is  poor, 
or  the  conditions  harsh,  that  some  well  rotted  stable  manure 
be  incorporated.  Follow  the  cultural  directions  for  watering 
and  care  that  are  laid  down  for  fruit  trees,  and  when  it  comes 
to  pruning  do  not  be  afraid  to  apply  the  shears  during  the 
first  few  years.  For  sidewalk  and  parkway  planting,  exigen- 
cies demand  that  the  trees  be  pruned  high  so  as  not  to 
interfere  with  pedestrians.  As  a  general  thing  municipalities 
require  that  street  trees  be  pruned  up  from  eight  to  ten 
feet;  on  country  roads  the  restrictions  are  less  exacting,  the 
only  condition  being  that  traffic  shall  not  be  interfered  with. 

Who  can  resist  expressing  admiration  for  a  grand  row  of 
palms  aligning  a  street  or  avenue  of  any  such  varieties  as 
the  Chamaerops  excelsa  (Windmill  Palm)  Cocos  australis, 
Cocus  plumosa,  jSrythea  armata,  Jubaca  spectabilis,  or  an$ 
one  of  the  numerous  family  of  Phoenix,  the  Sabals,  Washing- 
tonias  (fllifera  or  robusta),  which  although  natives  of  the 
great  deserts  of  California,  seem  to  find  congenial  conditions 
no  matter  where  they  may  be  planted.  There  is  nothing 
more  effective  than  avenues  of  palms  interspersed  with  some 
striking  flowering  shrub  like  the  oleander,  laurustinus  and 
myrtle. 

48 


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WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.OO  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


JUN    5    1 


LD  21-100m-7,'40 (6936s) 


309995 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


